Sunflowers
by TallMan0029
Summary: Naruto finally starts to notice Hinata and they become fast friends. But can their friendship evolve into something more? Can Hinata find the courage to confess her true feelings? NarutoXHinata slight one sided InoXNaruto  Currently under revision
1. The Sunflower

**IMPORTANT! I posted this story several years ago just out of curiosity and it really became popular. It was my first story so I didn't have much writing experience. Well, several years later… I am much more confident and skilled in my use of words and grammer. So I have decided to revisit this story and revise it. I will fix my grammar, add more description, and maybe add in a few scenes to make it better. I also plan to combine some of my chapters so please if you have already read this story please read it again because it will be a little different but it will still retain all the qualities you loved from the first one! Please enjoy and if you have already reviewed please just send me a private message or something! I would really like to hear what you think of the new Sunflowers Revised! **

**Also if you have no idea who I am please check out my profile and my other stories. **

**So basically Im a big naruhina fan and I have read a lot of these fanfics and I got tired of reading the ones where Naruto went from not noticing Hinata to being in love with her in like a day. We all know love is super complex and that it takes a while so im trying my luck to see how hard it to write a realistic naruhina fanfic. Good luck to me! **

**Oh and this takes place after episode 190. if you haven't seen it or you can't remember it just know that Naruto got his butt kicked by some magnetic guy and then Hinata comes in, rescues Naruto and kicks the crap out of the magnetic guy. Please enjoy my story!**

**Disclaimer: This is so pointless… who would sue me? Oh well… I do NOT own Naruto. Naruto and his likeness belong to whats-his-face in Japan. Although I joke he truly is a genius and has created one of the greatest stories in the world. Oh! And screw Twilight. **

"…and that concludes my report, Lady Tsunade." Chouji said as he bowed slightly. He was standing beside Hinata in the Hokage's office with Tsunade sitting behind her desk. She was slouched in her seat and was working very hard on stifling a yawn.

"That's great, Chouji." Tsunade said sarcastically. She received a menacing glare from Shizune and she immediately straightened up and smiled. "I-I mean… You three did very well in completing your mission! It's not every day you run across three 'A' rank Rogue Ninja. I am very impressed with all of you…Including Naruto, who is recovering at the Konoha hospital."

Tsunade slammed her palms on the table and stood up. "Alright! I am officially changing your C-rank mission to an A-rank! That means a significant increase to your pay and I'll even throw in a short vacation for the three of you. You three will be exempt from missions for a few weeks. Rest well and make sure you stay in shape!"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!" Hinata and Chouji said in unison, but as they turned to leave, Tsunade called out Hinata's name.

"Hinata? Would you please stop by the hospital and catch Naruto up to speed? And be sure to give him his pay." Tsunade said handing Hinata a small envelope.

"O-Ok…" Hinata lips slowly curved into a smile at the sound of Naruto's name. She felt a blush creep into her face as she envisioned being alone with Naruto in a small room. She placed the envelope in her pocket and walked out of the Hokage's office.

She stepped out of the building with a heavy sigh. Just what was she going to say to Naruto? She had to think of something before she got there otherwise she would just end up passing out again. Hinata rattled her brain trying to think of something clever to say to Naruto.

Meanwhile, Naruto was in his hospital bed covered with bandages. He had placed his headband on his lap and he was staring off in deep thought. _When did she do it?_ _When did Hinata get so strong? How did she defeat someone who almost killed me…...?_

Hinata sneezed as she walked towards the Konoha hospital. As she walked, something bright caught her eye and she turned to see the Yamanaka flower shop. She stopped walking and thought to herself, _Maybe I should buy him a flower…_

A small bell rang as Hinata opened the front door. The sound startled Hinata, but she kept on walking into the store. Ino, who had been on the verge of falling asleep, immediately stood up put on a big smile. "Welcome to… Oh… It's just you, Hinata." Ino slumped back down and placed her head in her hands. "Do you need something?"

"Um… I would l-like to buy a f-flower please."

Ino smirked. "Really? Would this flower be for Naruto by any chance?"

Hinata gasped. "H-how did…."

"I heard he was in the hospital. Besides, you have it written all over your face. So what kind of flower do you want? You know, a rose can be a symbol for love and this violet here can be a symbol for seduction."

"N-No thanks!" Hinata said as she blushed deeply.

"The flower you pick has to send the right message!" Ino said, folding her arms.

"Um … I want a s-sunflower, please."

Ino stood straight up again. "A sunflower? That's not romantic at all! Why a sunflower?"

Hinata's blush grew deeper and she began to tap her fingertips together. "Well… a sunflower is bright and it stands out and … it reminds me of N-Naruto."

Ino gave her a smug smile. "Oh… I see how you are. Oh well, it's your money." Ino pulled a singled sunflower from the bunch and handed it to Hinata. Hinata placed her money on the counter and headed for the door. However, she stopped as Ino's voice called out to her.

"Hinata! Can I ask you something?"

"S-Sure. What is it?" She asked, turning around.

"What do you see in Naruto?"

Hinata's blush spread all over her face and she started nervously tapping her fingertips together again. "Well…. He's brave and very strong, both physically and emotionally. He is everything I want to be and he gives me the courage to stand out." _And it all started back then…_

Flashback

A young Hinata was walking towards the ninja academy with her father. Her small legs were shuffling frantically trying to keep up with her father's long stride. She kept looking up to her father hoping to earn a small smile from him, but she was always met with the same cold, hard stare.

Hiashi suddenly stopped and Hinata ran into the back of his leg. She tentatively peeped around his leg to see what had stopped her father.

"Good morning, Third." Hiashi said with a slight bow.

The Third Hokage pulled his pipe out of his mouth to respond to Hiashi. "Good morning, Hiashi." He smiled as he noticed Hinata peeking her head out from behind her father. "And good morning to you too, little Hinata."

"H-Hi" Hinata said meekly as she stepped out further from her father.

The Hokage grinned and kneeled down to be eye level with Hinata."So is this your first day of school?"

"Um... y-yes, sir"

"This is Naruto's first day too." The Hokage said pulling a young, blonde boy out from behind him.

The boy grinned widely and extended his hand. "Hello, my name is Naruto."

Hinata nervously retreated back behind her father's leg. "…H-Hi..."

Naruto followed her behind her father and gave her a curious look. "So what's your name?"

Hinata stepped around to her father's front in order to avoid contact with Naruto. "H-Hinata Hyuuga."

The Hokage laughed a deep throaty laugh as Naruto chased Hinata around her father's legs. "Looks like you made a friend, Hinata."

Hinata blushed as Naruto flashed her one of his trademark grins

"Now run along you two. You don't want to be late on your first day." The Hokage said shooing them both off towards the Academy.

"Come on Hinata!" Naruto shouted as he grabbed her hand and half dragged her towards the front door of the academy. Hinata's face erupted into a deep crimson blush as soon as Naruto touched her hand. _His hand is so warm…_

End Flashback

_That was the first time someone truly noticed me… _Hinata sighed happily.

"Helloooo? Earth to Hinata! Just what are you daydreaming about?" Ino called out, bringing Hinata back to reality.

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all…" Hinata lied.

Ino smiled coyly. "Don't lie to me, Hinata. I know you were fantasizing about Naruto! I'm sorry to say this, but just giving him a flower isn't enough to win him over. You are going to have to use some of your feminine charm."

Hinata gasped as she imagined Ino's implications. Her cheeks burned red and she suddenly ran out of the store. Ino shrugged as she watched Hinata disappear into the distance. _Such a strange girl…There must be something special about Naruto…_ Ino shook her head and went back to work.

Meanwhile, as Hinata was walking towards the hospital her thoughts began to drift back towards Naruto. She clutched the sunflowers tightly against her chest and smiled softly. _He was the only person who could cheer me up…_

Flashback

Hinata and her entire Academy class were in a long rectangular training room with a small wooden post at the far end. The post had a small bulls-eye painted on it. The students were taking turns throwing their kunai at the wooden post attempting to hit the bulls-eye perfectly. So far, no body had succeeded.

When it was Naruto's turn, he eagerly stepped up and laughed loudly. "Watch this! I'm going to be the first one to hit the target!" Naruto reared back and hurled his kunai. It was a powerful throw, but it lacked accuracy. The kunai veered off to the right and missed the post entirely.

"Damn! I'll get it next time!" Naruto turned to see a blushing Hinata standing behind him. "Come on, Hinata. You give it a try."

"B-But Naruto….. I'm not very good…"

"Don't worry so much, you'll do fine."

Hinata stepped up to the line and threw her kunai. It flew straight, but fell short hitting the post a foot below the bulls-eye.

Hinata blushed and hung her head in embarrassment. However, Naruto grinned and slapped her on the back. "Good throw!"

"Wha... but I missed the bulls-eye..." Hinata said, giving Naruto a confused look.

"Hey, I didn't even hit the post! You only missed by a foot or so! Besides it's impossible to hit the bulls-eye perfectly."

Almost as if on cue, TenTen stepped up to the line and threw her kunai. Naruto looked back just in time to see it hit the bulls-eye perfectly with a loud thud.

Naruto stared at her with his mouth hanging open. "What the… but .. but you can't…. She just got lucky! That's it!"

Just then, Sasuke stepped up to the line and threw another perfect bulls-eye. Naruto cursed in frustration and stepped back behind the line. He threw another kunai at the post, but this one missed the post by an even wider margin than the first one. Naruto mumbled in fury as he continued to throw kunai after kunai. He didn't hit the post even once.

Hinata attempted to hold back her laughter as she watched Naruto's temper grow as he missed the post over and over again.

End Flashback

Hinata giggled silently to herself. _He always knew how to make me smile…_ She suddenly stopped walking as she realized she was at the front gates of the hospital. _Oh no! I'm already here and I still don't know what to say to Naruto! I need to find someplace quiet to think…_

Hinata ran over to a nearby tea shop and sat down at one of the tables. She asked the waiter for several pieces of papers and some green tea. Both were brought to her within minutes. Hinata began to scribble some ideas on the piece of paper.

_Naruto,  
Here is your payout from the last mission. Nice weather we are having, huh?_

Hinata frowned and crumpled up the piece of paper. _No! That's too casual. I need to be more direct!_

Hey, Naruto. How are your injuries? Wanna go out sometime?

Hinata shook her head vigorously and crumpled the paper again. _That's not it either! I need to just come straight out and say it!_

Hinata was focused so intently on her new piece of paper that she didn't even notice the person stepping up beside her.

"Hey there, Hinata. Writing a letter to someone?" Neji said placing a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata jumped nearly a foot in the air and quickly shoved the paper inside her pocket. "N-No! It was just a…uh… r-recipe! This green tea is really good." Hinata lied. She grabbed her cup and gulped down the scalding tea. She closed her eyes, ignoring the pain, and sighed as if she had just tasted something delicious.

Neji just stared as Hinata began to laugh nervously. "Anyways… I heard you just got back from a mission with Naruto. How did it go?"

Hinata choked and nearly sprayed her tea all over Neji's face. "Uh…I… I have to go!" She shouted as she set down her tea cup and bolted out the front door.

_What's up with her? Did something happen? _Neji thought with a frown, but as he got up to leave, a large lady stopped him.

"That'll be a thousand yen for the tea. Or do you plan on leaving without paying your tab?" The lady's eye twinkled and she flexed her large bicep.

Neji gulped. _One thousand yen for just a cup of tea!_

Meanwhile, Naruto was having some problems of his own.

"You're so stupid, Naruto!" Sakura yelled as she bopped Naruto in the head with a clipboard. Sakura had been visiting Naruto in the hospital and was currently "reprimanding" him for losing his fight on the last mission. "You almost got killed!"

"You think I don't know that?" Naruto yelled rubbing his injured forehead.

Sakura frowned and lowered her clipboard. "What would I have done if you had died? You are so lucky Hinata was there to save your butt!"

Naruto's eyes blurred as he drifted off in deep thought.

"Since when do you let yourself get beaten up so badly? Maybe you need more training… I'm sure Kakashi wouldn't mind-"

"Shut up! I don't need help. I can do it by myself!" Naruto yelled as he folded his arms stubbornly.

A vein in Sakura's forehead twitched. "Why, you little…"

KNOCK KNOCK

Naruto and Sakura both turned as the doors opened revealing a petrified Hinata."Um… h-hi Sakura." Hinata said with a blush, clearly not expecting her to be there. "Is this a bad time?"

Sakura noticed the flower gripped tightly in her hands and smiled inwardly. "Of course not, Hinata. I was just leaving." Sakura stepped towards the door but stopped suddenly to turn and wink at Naruto before leaving.

Naruto ignored her and turned his attention to Hinata. "Hey, Hinata! What's the flower for?"

Hinata's blush grew deeper. "Um… well... i-it's for you."

"Really? That's really nice of you Hinata. I guess I owe you one, huh?"

Hinata starts to stammer. "W-what do you m-mean, Naruto?"

"Well… you saved my life from that magnetic guy, remember? And you even found my headband." Naruto smiled warmly.

Hinata gulped and tightened her grip on the flower. "That reminds me. This is for you." Hinata handed the flower over to Naruto and he placed it next to his pillow. Then, before Naruto had a chance to reply, Hinata reached into her pocket and handed him a piece of paper.

Naruto gasped as he read the paper.

_Dear Naruto,  
Ever since the first day we met, I have been watching you. You have really inspired me to change. I guess what I am trying to say is that I really like you, Naruto._

"Tsunade wanted me to tell you..." Hinata trailed off as she noticed a blush on Naruto's cheeks. Her expression turned from confusion to horror as she realized what he was reading. _My notes! _

Naruto grimaced. "You're saying Tsunade wrote this?"

"No!" Hinata screamed, snatching the paper from Naruto's hands. Her face turned red as she handed Naruto the envelope. "_This _one is for you…"

Naruto frowned. "Then… What was that other piece of paper for?"

"A…p-prank?" Hinata closed her eyes and prayed Naruto would believe her bluff.

Naruto burst out laughing and Hinata sighed in relief. "That was a good one, Hinata! You totally had me going!" Naruto's grin grew even wider as he opened the envelope. "Whoa! That's a lot of cash!" Naruto held the money up to his nose and sniffed. "Ahhhh… it smells like ramen. Hey, Hinata?"

"Y-Yes, Naruto?"

"I think we should celebrate. Will you come with me to Ichiraku's? I need to talk to you."

Hinata blushed a deep shade of red and her heart started pounding. She felt dizzy. _A d-date…with Naruto? _Those were her last thoughts as the world started spinning and she passed out.

**Well how was it? I hope you all enjoyed the changes I have made! And for those of you who are reading this for the first time, please forgive me, but I haven't revised the next few chapters yet. I should have them up in a few days or so. I won't be changing the plot or anything so feel free to keep on reading. I really hope you are enjoying my story and don't forget to check out my others! **


	2. Train me?

**OMG im so sorry for not posting sooner! I went out of town and I couldn't post at all. So in order to atone I wrote TWO chapters AND they r LONGER! And finally some naruhina fluff for all to enjoy! This two chapters were fun to write so I hope u will enjoy reading them!**

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Chapter 3

_Naruto was leaning closer to her. He was much too close. She could smell the ramen on his face. He was inches away. Hinata plucked up her courage and leaned in to kiss him. _

"Naruto…!" Hinata moaned as she awoke from her dream. She was in the hospital bed next to Naruto's

"Hey Hinata. You must of had a bad dream."

Hinata blushed as she realized she had just moaned his name out loud.

"What happened?"

"Well, you passed out and fell on the floor so I put you on the bed."

Hinata's face got even redder. "I'm so sorry."

"It was nothing! Now come on, we are going to get some lunch."

"B-But your still hurt!"

"I feel great. Besides I haven't had ramen in weeks!"

"But what if they catch you?"

"Don't worry so much, Hinata. I have done this before."

Naruto puts on a long, dark cloak and pulls the hood over his face.

Hinata giggled when she saw him. He looked like some demonic grim reaper. She couldn't even see his face.

Hinata loved it when Naruto pulled her pranks. It gave her a chance to watch him be happy.

"Unfortunately, I can't see out of this. So you will have to guide me, Hinata."

Naruto grabbed her hand and Hinata' smile was quickly replaced with a blush.

_He's including me in his prank?_ Hinata started to feel weird. Her parents always made her act proper so she never had pulled a prank before. Hinata liked this feeling. _This is breaking the rules. This isn't how an heiress is supposed to behave. Yet, I love this feeling. Is this what it's like to be with Naruto?_

Hinata gripped Naruto's hand with a new fierceness. "Come on, Naruto. We will have to hurry if we don't want to get caught."

Sneaking out of a hospital wasn't a hard thing to do. No one gave them a second glance. However, the whole time they were sneaking out Naruto was humming the Mission Impossible theme.

By the time they got out Hinata was laughing so hard people were starting to stare.

"Wow, Hinata. I never labeled you as a 'rule-breaking' type. We should pull pranks together more often!"

"Yea! I haven't had this much fun is ages. My dad always makes me act like a proper lady." She mimics her father's voice. "Speak when you're spoken to. Always bow and use sir and lady when addressing blah blah blah."

They got to Ichrikus and Naruto pulled his hood off and took a deep sniff of the ramen shop. "Ah! It's good to be free! I'll take two miso ramens, old man!"

They eat their ramen in silence, but Hinata was more focused on Naruto. She had been watching him eat for years, but this was her first time up close. (come on people she can see through walls. It's like a personal x-ray binoculars. Do I see a shower scene approaching? Heheheheh)

"So Hinata, I have a favor to ask…."

"What is it, Naruto?"

"W-Well….. I... uh….. well…"

_Naruto is stuttering? What could he want to ask me? _Hinata started to blush as her mind wandered.

"Well on the last mission I almost died, and I probably would have if not for you. You have gotten really strong, Hinata."

At this Hinata starts to blush.

"When you defeated that giant wasp and saving my life…… um… well … will you… uh… train me?" Naruto blushes and looks down.

Hinata's face goes blank. _Naruto thinks I'm strong? And he wants me to train him?_

"Hinat-"

"THERE HE IS!" Sakura and several other nurses were standing outside the ramen shop.

"Oh crap" Naruto said. He looks over at Hinata. "Well I guess I'll see you later."

Naruto was roughly dragged off and a loud smack could be heard followed by an obnoxious "OW!"

It was a good thing Naruto left because Hinata was still in a trance. _Naruto has such a cute blush! I wonder how far it goes…. _

It wasn't long before she passed out.

* * *

**i kinda like this chapter the image of a nervous naruto is pretty funny. tell me what u think!**


	3. First day of Training

**YAY NARUHINA! R u guys enjoying the fluff? Well here comes the first day of training hehehehe and the people who dislike what I do in this chapter can bite me! It's my book and ill put whatever I want in it!! Enjoy chapter 4!**

* * *

Chapter 4

Naruto was back in his hospital bed, snoring softly.

Sakura was next to him, staring at him in deep thought. She smiled and reached over and stroked his cheek. She pushes the hair out of his face and gives him one last smile before turning to leave.

When Sakura was out of the room she called to the nurse down the hall. "Nurse Yui? Could you take Naruto off the patient log?"

"But he's not scheduled to leave until Tuesday!"

"I know, but something tells me that he won't be around much longer."

The next morning Naruto's bed was empty and he was no where to be found.

Naruto was wandering around the city, quite lost.

_A huge mansion shouldn't be this hard to find!_ Naruto thought, looking around.

Naruto finally gave up and asked for directions

"Hmm? The Hyuuga House? Oh it's right across the street." The man said pointing to a house barely 30 feet away.

Naruto smacked his forehead and walked up to the front door. When he knocked on it, it was Hinata who answered.

She didn't recognize him at first and made a steep bow. "Welcome to the Hyuuga House. How may I help you?"

"Um… hi Hinata. Why are acting so formal?"

"…Naruto? Um…. Well my father makes me act like the perfect princess."

"So… will you train me?"

Hinata smiled at his forwardness. "I guess I could help you with your chakra control."

"Yay!" Naruto quickly pulled Hinata into a hug. "Thank you so much. Let's get started right away!"

"J-Just let me get my jacket." Hinata ran back inside and shut the door. _I was so close to fainting. That was a close call._ Hinata put her back against the wall and slid down it until she was sitting down. _He was so warm. _

Hinata pulled her legs up to her chest trying to replace the warmth. She got up and went to find her jacket.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata are in a training area with plenty of tall trees surrounding them.

"Ok Naruto, This is one of the first steps in the Hyuuga chakra control exercises. I assume you already learned the tree climbing exercise?"

"Yea, no sweat." Naruto said as he ran towards a tree. Naruto ran up all the way and back flipped off when he reached the top.

"Ok, good. However _this _exercise is a little different." She reaches down and picks a leaf up off the ground. She places the leaf on her forehead and it stays there.

"You have to focus your chakra at your forehead and hold the leaf in place while simultaneously walking up _and _down this tree."

She walked over to the tree and quickly walked up to the top and walked back down. Even as she walked down, the leaf never moved.

"Cool!" Naruto grabbed a leaf and ran up a tree, however the leaf fell off as soon as he started to walk back down.

"Damnit!"

"Don't worry Naruto, no one gets it on their first try."

"Yea, but I could have been the first." He grabbed another leaf and ran up the tree again. This time the leaf stayed in place, but Naruto was the one to fall off. He fell backward and smacked his head on the ground.

This continued for an hour with Hinata giving him advice every now and then until Naruto's stomache growled loudly.

"Are you hungry, Naruto? I'll go get something for us to eat."

After Hinata left, Naruto continued to train.

_Damn! This is harder than I thought. The chakra distribution has to be perfect. If there is too much in the leaf and not enough in your feet, you fall. But if there is not enough in the leaf, it falls off. My clothes might be getting in the way…_

Naruto takes off his shirt and pants leaving only his underwear on and continued to train.

Hinata made her way back to the training ground. As she was looking for Naruto she noticed his clothes on the ground.

A deep blush grew over her face as she realized what Naruto must of looked like.

Naruto landed right behind her.

Hinata's heart started pounding as she began to turn around.

Hinata's blush grew deeper with each passing second. Naruto's arms and legs were firm and muscular and his chest was well developed. However, Hinata's eyes were drawn to his stomache. Naruto was only 13 years old, but he had an impressive imprint of a six pact.

Hinata started to drool a little, but quickly passed out. The image of a half-naked Naruto would haunt her dreams for many weeks.

* * *

**Well how was that Hinata finally sees Naruto shirtless! Yay! Chapter 5 will be up soon keep on reviewing please.**


	4. Hinata's best day ever! pt 1

**OMG I haven't posted in forever im so sorry for leaving u with a cliffhanger like that I got lazy and didn't post I think ch 5 is the longest so far. Its getting easier to write longer chapters now. This is the beginning of the naruhina fluff. yay! And so begins Hinata best day ever!**

**Disclaimer: sigh…. Still don't own Naruto **

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Hinata awoke in an unfamiliar place. The room was rather empty but was still cozy.

_Where am I?_ Hinata stood and walked towards the door. She stopped suddenly as she remembered the earlier events. _That's right. I passed out when I saw Naruto…._ She blushed and began to look around.

_What's that smell…..? Ramen…? Oh no_! She looked around the room and saw a picture of Naruto and the rest of squad 7.

She rushed out of the room and into a small kitchen. Naruto was boiling water on his stove.

Hinata blushed. _This is Naruto's house! _Her blush grew deeper as she realized she had slept in Naruto's bed. Hinata mentally kicked herself; she should have stayed in it a bit longer.

"Oh, good morning, Hinata!"

"Um... Good morning Naruto. What happened?"

He opened a cup of ramen and poured the boiling water into it. He handed her the cup. "Here, eat up! Well you passed out, so I brought you to my house. Are you feeling ok?"

"Thanks. And yes, im ok."

"hey hintata? Will you hang out with me today?"

Hinata choked on her ramen _Did he just say he wants to hang out with me_?

"What do you mean?"

"Well I was planning to pull a prank on Kakashi and I could use your help"

_Naruto wants my help?_ Hinata pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Um… sure Naruto. I'd love to."

"Great! But maybe you should take a shower, your face is really red."

Naruto lead her to his shower and left to clean up the lunch

Hinata stood under the nozzle and let the cold water run down her face. I can't believe I'm in Naruto's shower! And I slept in his bed!

She began to feel lightheaded, but the cold water prevented her from passing out.

Hinata's mind wandered back to the training and having ramen with him. It was almost too good to be true. She wondered if this was just some cruel genjitsu.

She turned off the water and got out of the tub to dry off. She got dressed and stepped out of the bathroom. Naruto was sitting at the table, drinking tea.

"You ready to go Hinata?"

"Yes. Um… what kind of prank are you planning?"

"You will see when we get there!"

* * *

Naruto and Hinata are sitting on the roof across from the Icha Icha bookstore. "Ok Hinata, here is the plan. All you need to do is make a genjitsu."

"B-But Naruto… I … I'm not…."

Naruto gave her a mocking smile. "Don't tell me that a student of the great genjitsu master, Kurenai, can't make a genjitsu."

Hinata blushed "No! I can do it!"

"Good and I'll lend you some of my chakra."

He put his hand on her stomache and Hinata's blush grew deeper.

Suddenly, a warm sensation flooded through Hinata's body. It made her feel safe and it filled her with confidence. Hinata hoped Naruto would never let go.

Naruto pulled his hand back and Hinata sighed sadly. She missed the warmth already. She closed her eyes and started the genjitsu.

Kakashi was walking down the street, reading a Icha Icha book and giggling. He passed a big sign that caught his attention.

It read NEW RELEASE: ICHA ICHA PASSION

Kakashi squealed like a young schoolgirl when he read the sign

Then there was a bright flash and the bookstore was on fire. Kakashi screamed as he watched all his favorite books burn. He sank to his knees and started to cry.

"HA! Got you Kakashi!"

Naruto and Hinata were laughing so hard that tears had started to pour down their faces.

Kakashi looked up and the bookstore was no longer on fire, the new Icha Icha book was a fake and people were staring at his sudden outburst.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS NARUTOOOOO!!" Kakashi yelled as Naruto and Hinata ran for their lives.

They made it to a vacant training area. They were still laughing so they had to lean against a tree until they could breathe normally again.

"That was the most fun I have ever had, Naruto!

"Yea! We made a great team! And its not over yet. I have one more prank!"

"What is it?"

Naruto grinned " First you will transform into Sakura. Then we will walk up to Lee pretending to be a couple!"

Hinata blushed as she imagined what they would have to do in order to convince Lee

"You see, Lee is in love with Sakura so when he sees us together it will totally kill him!"

At this Naruto burst out laughing.

Hinata, however, was in a catatonic state as she imagined Naruto and her sharing an intimate moment.

Naruto grinned "This will be the greatest prank ever!"

Naruto couldn't have been more wrong…..

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**Hahahaha cliffhanger! Hopefully u enjoyed this chapter cuz im kinda proud of this one**

**Ch 6 will be up very soon**


	5. Hinata's best day ever! pt 2

**Sorry for leaving you with such a cliffhanger this chapter is where I officially start the fluff up until now its been pretty one-sided but after this episode ….. ah u will find out soon enough also I will introduce lee in this chapter and I refuse to write "youth" every line so I will have him talk normally. Besides he only talks that way when he is near Gai **

**this is my first fic and surprisingly I see it actually going somewhere I been having some great ideas for this and all I can say is that it is going to keep getting better and better hehehehe**

**I will take some time to reply to a few of my most supportive commenters**

**Juniorthewolf- good call! You hit the nail on the head. the next prank is what u said**

**Hinata-sama- that happens to me allllll the time its so frustrating, but thanks for ur support and I promise to update often**

**Thanks for ur support and keep reviewing they inspire me!**

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Chapter 6

Naruto searched all over the village for Lee with Hinata following him like a zombie. (remember she is still in that catatonic state thinking of kisses)

They finally found him training alone in the woods. "There he is! Quick, change into Sakura!"

Hinata formed the hand signs and turned into the splitting image of Sakura. Naruto grabbed her hand and walked up to Lee.

"Hey Lee! Guess what? Me and Sakura are going out!"

Lee's mouth hit the ground. He had always thought that Sakura loved Sasuke. But then he remember the trick Naruto played on him when they fought in his dojo.

"Well Naruto, if you and 'Sakura' are really going out… then kiss her."

Hinata started to sweat and shake._ Did he say kiss? Could I really kiss Naruto!? Im not ready for this!_

Naruto scratched the back off his head sheepishly. "Um… you see, we aren't at that stage yet."

Lee gave him a smug grin. "I guess that means you were lying!"

Naruto was overcome with anger and desperation. He grabbed Hinata's hand and slowly leaned towards her.

Hinata's heart started pounding so hard she began to fear that Naruto would hear it. _Is he really going to kiss me? After all these years will I finally be able to show him how I feel?_

Suddenly there was a rustling noise and Sakura stepped out of the bushes. "Hey Lee, I have a favor to ……" She trailed off as she noticed Naruto and herself about to kiss. She started to twitch with anger.

Naruto knew this look well and began to sweat profusely. _Oh crap! No prank is worth this!_

"RUN HINATA!!"

Hinata dropped the transformation and ran as fast as she could with Naruto right behind her.

"HA! I knew it was a trick. I told you I would never be fooled twice!" Lee shouted.

"NARUTO….. MUST PUNCH!" Sakura yelled, blind with fury, as she turned towards Lee

"No wait Sakura. Its me, Lee. NO ….. AHHHHH!" A large mushroom of dust exploded as Lee's screams resonated throughout the village.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata made it back to village just as the sun was setting.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. That prank didn't work out so well."

"It's ok. I still had a lot of fun today."

"Still I should walk you home. It's the least I can do."

Hinata blushed and looked at the ground "That sounds ok"

"Something has been bothering me, Hinata. I haven't thanked you for all the things you have been doing for me."

_I could say the same thing_ said the perverted voice in Hinata's head as she thought back to the training incident. She shook her head and focused back on Naruto.

"I mean you're so nice. You helped me with my training and my pranks and I never said thank you. I feel like a jerk."

"It was nothing, Naruto. Really!"

"No, no. I'm in your debt. How can I repay you?"

Hinata's perverted voice took this statement and ran with it, giving her various ways of using this opportunity to fulfill her deepest fantasies.

She started to blush and she knew that if she kept thinking like this, it wouldn't be long before she fainted. "Well… I guess you could help me with my training as well."

"That's a great idea! With this much training I could make a new technique! It's a deal!"

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and shook it, causing her to become lightheaded and lose her balance. She tripped and began to fall forward. Naruto reached out and grabbed her sleeve. However, the fabric gave out and Hinata's jacket ripped and she fell on the ground.

"Oh crap" Naruto was still holding the ripped jacket in his hand. He looked up and saw Hinata in a tight, black shirt. He couldn't help but stare at her deep curves. He had never noticed her slender form underneath her giant Eskimo coat.

He started to blush and handed her the jacket. "Uh… sorry it ripped."

She took it from him and slipped it on even though it was ripped. "It's ok Naruto. I don't blame you."

"No it's my fault. Are you ok?" He grabbed her face and wiped the blood of her cheek with his thumb.

Hinata blushed deeply and enjoyed his warmth and concern.

They continued walking towards the Hyuuga House as it began to grow dark.

"Oh no! If I'm not home before dark my father will be upset!"

At this Naruto's face went blank as he went into deep thought.

When they finally got to the mansion Hinata wondered if she should hug him. Then Naruto said something that surprised her.

"Hinata, what's a father like? I never had a mother or a father."

Hinata gasped. _All this time Naruto has been an orphan? He must be so lonely living all alone in that tiny apartment._

Hinata'a heart trembled when she saw his face. His usual smile was gone. In it's place was a mask completely vacant of all emotion.

"Oh sorry. You must think I'm pretty weird huh? Well I'll see you at the ramen stand tomorrow at noon for some more training." He gave her a smile and ran off.

Hinata knew this smile was a fake. It hurt her so much to see him like this. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and headed up to bed.

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**I had to put that in my story. It always frustrated me that not one of Naruto's friends knew he is an orphan. Also in my next chapter im going to bring the waterfall scene back into discussion! Hahahaha talk about a cliffhanger! See ya next week. My next post should be Monday or earlier.**


	6. Fluff and Ramen

**Im so so so so sorry I haven't posted in forever! I got side tracked with school and mid terms. But luckily I wrote a few chapters in my spare time so Im up to ch 10 but I have to type and submit them so I don't know how long it could take. This next few chapters should be worth the wait. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: why do they call it a disclaimer its not like anyone here actually thinks I own Naruto….and if they do…. I accept fan mail! )**

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Chapter 7

The next morning Hinata quickly showered and got dressed. She left her house before anyone else had even woken up.

She headed into the market district to buy a new coat. It was September and it was much too cold for just a shirt.

She went to the same store (Eskimos R Us hehe) and bought the same fur coat she had always worn.

Last night, Naruto had needed someone. He needed a friend and Hinata had failed him. She would not let it happen again. She increased her pace and headed towards the ramen stand with a new determination.

Naruto arrived at the stand shortly after Hinata. "Hey Hinata! Are you ready for some training?"

Naruto's usually smile and happiness was back. It was as if the night before had never happened.

Hinata grabbed his arm and pulled him into a seat. "Naruto, about last night… Im sorry… I never knew you were an orphan."

Naruto's smile vanished and Hinata saw the pain in his face. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's ok."

"It's not ok! You must be so lonely. You have never had parents and now you don't even have your squad. I can't imagine what it feels like, but I promise you, for as long as I live, I will always be your friend and I will always be there for you."

Naruto's eyes started to water and he was at a loss for words. He reached out and pulled Hinata into a close embrace. "Thank you, Hinata".

Hinata blushed, but she still hugged Naruto back. Naruto held onto her for a while.

"Thank you so much, Hinata" He let go of her and wiped his eyes. "Im really lucky to have a friend like you."

At Naruto's praise, Hinata lost her resolve and became her old stuttering self. "Um.. s-should we go t-train now?"

"Let's eat first! My treat!"

"N-No, that's ok. I have money."

"No. I want to pay. That's what friends do, right?"

She blushed slightly and put her money away. Hinata knew there was no convincing Naruto. Even if he was up against an army he would never back down. And with his shadow clones he might actually win.

"Two beef ramens, old man!"

"So, treating your girlfriend to some ramen, eh Naruto? Good catch, she's a cutie!"

"N-No! We are just friends!" Naruto blushed a deep crimson red and Hinata was looking at the floor with an even deeper blush.

Ayame(I think that's her name… the ramen lady.. the old mans daughter… yeah) came out and noticed Naruto and Hinata..

"Awww…. You two make such a cute couple!"

"We are just friends!" Naruto and Hinata shouted in unison, their blushed growing deeper.

Ayame gave them a smug smile and whispered to her father, "They are just friends…for now!"

Naruto suddenly became fascinated with his necklace and Hinata was nervously tapping her fingers together.

"Naruto is that you?"

Naruto froze as he recognized that voice. He turned around and Sakura and Ino were standing right behind them.

Ino giggled. "I knew you guys would hit it off. You two are the perfect pair!"

"It's not like that…" Naruto said. Hinata was too embarrassed to speak

Ino smirked. "Well we were going to eat here, but I wouldn't want to intrude on your date."

Ino and Sakura waved goodbye and left.

Naruto and Hinata sighed with relief.

Suddenly Lee and TenTen burst in.

"Ooooohh! Look at you two! Finally on your first date? How cute!" TenTen squealed.

Lee gave Naruto the thumbs-up sign. "Great job, Naruto! Congrats to you both!"

Hinata's entire face turned red and Naruto started to stammer. "N-No… w-we are j-just friends!"

And to make things worse Shikamaru and Chouji came in.

"I was wondering what all the fuss was about. It seems you two are finally going out." Shikamaru said lazily.

Chouji slapped Naruto on the back. " Have you kissed her yet?"

Hinata hide her face in her hands and Naruto pounded his head into the table.

Then there was an obnoxious laugh. "Hinata? You're dating Naruto? Did you lose a bet or something?" Kiba said with a grin.

Naruto jumped up. "You take that back, Dog-breath!"

Shino got between them. "This isn't the place or the place to fight. It would run Hinata's first date. And she must be so happy to be able to share it with Naruto."

Hinata gasped and pulled her coat over her head, while Naruto continued to glare at Kiba. It wasn't long before all the rookie nine knew Naruto and Hinata were eating together.

After everyone had left and Naruto and Hinata had finished their ramen, they headed over to the training ground.

The training grounds was rather small with a few trees and a small pond. "So what kind of training were you planning on?" Naruto asked.

"Physical training."

"Well, that's easy." Naruto put his fingers in his favorite hand sign and made 10 clones. "Let's see what you can do against my clones!"

Hinata slid into her Jouken stance and Naruto's clones charged.

Hinata's balance and precision were perfect. Naruto watched in awe as Hinata destroyed his clones without getting a scratch.

He made 20 more clones and forced Hinata onto the pond. Hinata started to swirl her arms in circular motions, swirling the smoke and water around her.

Naruto's clones were being destroyed so fast that a thin mist started to form on the pond.

Naruto noticed her dance-like movements through the mist and he got a feeling a deja-vu. He tried to remember where he had seen this before. Suddenly, something clicked and Naruto remembered the waterfall scene.

"Hinata? I-It….It was you?!"

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Aww so he finally figured it out. sorry for the cliffhanger but i need to keep you guys interested. see you all next chapter! 


	7. The day of ackwardness

**Once again so sorry for not posting sooner. I hate this chapter! HATE IT! Its so corny. ( but maybe im just being a self-critic… Sorry for leaving u with such a cliffhanger like that hehe but there has been a lot going on. Im in high school and we r about to take our AP tests so I haven't had much time to post. But don't worry im not going to stop writing this.**

Disclaimer: HA! I did my homework on this one. You cant sue me unless im making money off this so P haha im one smart cookie…… or smart brownie, or snickerdoodle…. Damnit now im hungry!

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Chapter 8

"H-Hinata? It was y-you? You're the pretty girl I saw at the waterfall?"

Hinata's entire face started to burn up. She felt faint and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. She turned and took off into the forest.

Naruto was too stunned to move. The girl he saw at the waterfall was the prettiest girl he had ever seen and…. it was Hinata!

He had never really noticed Hinata until these past few weeks so he had never taken the time to acknowledge her looks. _She is pretty cute I guess… but she's just a friend! And besides I like Sakura! But she likes Sasuke so …. Damnit!_

He decided to head over to Lee's apartment. He and Lee had become great friends after the chuunin exams and they spared quite often. He figured Lee could help him set his feelings straight.

Naruto knocked on his front door and lee answered dressed in his usual jumpsuit

"Oh! It's you, Naruto! Have you come to spar again?"

"No. I'm here for something else. Can I come in?"

"Of course! Naruto is always welcome in my home!" Lee let him in and lead him into his living room.

"So.. what's up, Naruto?'

"Well… its about this girl… its just so weird…"

"What is?"

"I had never even noticed her until only a few weeks ago, but since then I have seen her every day and I can't get her out of my head!"

"You mean Sakura, right?"

"Well… no."

Lee stared at him in astonishment. You mean you don't like Sakura anymore?!"

"No! Its just…"

Lee suddenly fell off his couch laughing. "I never thought I'd see the day when Naruto was shy!"

"You shut up! I'm not shy! I just wonder what she thinks of me…"

"If you want to know then go ask her!" Lee got up and started to push Naruto out of his front door. "Go! Hurry up! Youth only comes once so don't waste it!"

As Naruto continued walking down the street his thoughts faded back to what Lee had said. If I want to know… I should just ask her! No, that's way to forward. OH I know!"

He raced towards the woods, looking for Kiba. He or Shino were around Hinata the most so they had to know how she felt about him. However, Shino was too weird to hold a conversation with. Plus Naruto couldn't trust him to keep a secret. So he decided on Kiba.

Naruto ran into the woods as fast as he could. Suddenly…

DYNAMIC MARKING!

SPLASH!

"SICK! Damnit Kiba! My mouth was open and everything!"

Kiba laughed so hard he nearly fell off the tree. "Sorry, Naruto! Didn't see you there!"

Naruto grumbled under his breath as he wiped off his face. Kiba jumped down next to Naruto.

"Did ya need something?"

"Yeah, I need to talk to you about something."

"Hm? What about?"

"Um… Hinata."

"What? Do you like her or something?"

Naruto blushed and looked away.

KIba gaped at him. "Oh my god! You do!"

"That's not it! Its ..well… do you remember when I told you about the cute girl at the waterfall."

Kiba thought for a second. "I thought u dreamed that up."

"I didn't. It was Hinata."

Kiba started laughing again. "So you think Hinata is a total hottie!"

"Well… I guess… she is… kinda… pretty."

"So ask her out!"

"Wha-? No I couldn't do that!"

Why not? Are you telling me your too _shy_?" Kiba smirked

"I-I just don't like her like that!"

_This is unbelievable! They both like each other but are too shy to admit it!_ Kiba shook his head. "You're so stupid, Naruto!" He turned and walked back into the woods leaving Naruto with his jaw hanging wide open.

Naruto gave up. He headed back to his house for a nap. He could think this out later; right now he needed some rest.

(Unfortunately I have other plans for him! Mwhahahaha!)

He was walking towards his house so deep in thought that he didn't see the person right in front of him.

Smack!

"Ow… that hurt… Naruto? Is that you?"

"TenTen? What are you doing?"

"Um… actually I needed to talk to you about something."

Naruto sighed. So much for his nap. "Ok, come with me. We can talk in my house."

"Um… Ok." She followed him into his house and took a sit on his couch.

Naruto poured two cups of tea and offered one to TenTen.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh… well … would you consider yourself one of Lee's best friends?"

"Aside from Guy-sensei, yeah we are pretty close. Why do you ask?"

TenTen started to blush and stammer. "Well… you see… I … uh… I-I …l-like…"

Her stammering reminded Naruto of Hinata and once again he got lost in his own thoughts.

"Naruto?"

Naruto's head snapped back up and he focused back on TenTen.

"Do you think you could ask Lee what he thinks of me?"

"Wait… you like Lee?"

"Um… well… he's so strong and handsome and he's not afraid to cry…"

"Wow I always thought you had something for Neji."

"No way! He's too stiff and arrogant."

Naruto gave her a smug grin. "You just like him because he wears tights."

"N-No! It's not like that!"

"Riiiggghhhtt! But I'll talk to him."

TenTen jumped up and hugged him. "Thank you soo much!" She squealed and ran out the door.

_Hmmm… I wonder what Lee will say. He has always like Sakura so much… I wonder if he has even noticed TenTen. Ha I doubt it! And while I'm on the subject… I wonder who Kiba likes? Gasp! Maybe its Hinata!_ Naruto's mind wandered off imagining Kiba pulling Hinata into a tight embrace and… _NO! I won't let a jerk like him touch her!_

Naruto slammed his front door shut and rushed out onto the streets, completely unaware of the dark figure watching him.

* * *

**Finally the great chapter of ackwardness is over! The next one will be much better! Oh and by the way, my 100th reviewer gets a special reward! They get to pick any pairing and Ill put it into my story and if they have a good idea they could also make their own naruhina scene. But only the person who has the 100th review!**


	8. Kiba's plan

Im deeply disappointed in the amount of reviews I got for chapter 8

**Im deeply disappointed in the amount of reviews I got for chapter 8. Only 3! I expect more from you guys! Anyways in this chapter im switching back to Hinata's point of view to explain her side of the waterfall scene. And Naruto's jealousy gets the better of him in this one! Satisfaction **

**guaranteed or your money back! (not that im getting any money for this…) **

**Disclaimer: Im sorry to say this but because of a lack of reviews im going to stop writing this fanfiction. However I have some good news too. I just saved a whole bunch of money on car insurance by switching to Geico. **

**P.S. Im just kidding about quitting this fanfiction.**

Chapter 9

"WATCH OUT!"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Naruto yelled as he raced through the village, knocking over bystanders as he went.

Unfortunately, Ino was outside her shop at the precise time Naruto ran by. Naruto, too enraged by the thought of Kiba to notice her, ran right into her shoulder, knocking her down and cousing the pot she was holding to shatter as it hit the ground.

"NARUTO, YOU DOPE!" Ino yelled as she got up to give chase. However, Naruto was nowhere to be seen. "Jeez! That jerk…"

Meanwhile, Hinata was having some problems of her own. She was mentally infuriated with herself for running away from Naruto like that.

It was the perfect opportunity to tell him how she felt. After all he had called her pretty back then. She would never forget that day. To be called pretty and amazing by Naruto in one day was almost too much for her to handle without passing out.

She had almost passed out that day, too. Naruto and just scooped her in his arms and called her amazing. Thankfully she was too exhausted to feel embarrassed. All she felt that day was pure elation in Naruto's arms.

Suddenly a voice in the back of Hinata's head began to crush her hope

**If he thinks you're pretty, then why doesn't he ask you out?**

_He doesn't know it was me at the waterfall!_

**He does now! Why didn't he ask you out!**

Hinata knew this was true but she continued to defend her pride.

_I ran away! He didn't have enough time!_

**He didn't chase after you, did he**__

Note: (no Hinata is not crazy. Nor does she have some spirit like Naruto. They r just some negative thoughts she doesn't want to accept.)

Hinata became lost in thought and failed to notice Kiba walking towards her.

"Hinata! Guess what? Naruto likes y-"

"Not now Kiba. I'm busy."

"But its important! Naruto really likes-"

"Kiba! Leave her alone!" Shino interrupted. "She said she is busy. It is rude to interrupt someone when they are busy."

Hinata hated conflict and there was no way she could keep track of her thoughts like this. She decided that she had better just confess what had happened.

When she had finished Kiba's jaw was hanging to the ground, but Shino seemed unaffected.

"That is quite a long story, Hinata. Is there anything we can do to help?" Shino said without breaking his monotony.

"You bet there is!" Kiba yelled with enthusiasm. "We can make Naruto jealous!"

"That doesn't sound like a good idea, Kiba…" Hinata said quietly.

"Yes it does! All we have to do is pretend like we are dating!"

Hinata gasped. "That's mean!"

"It could work, Hinata." Shino said. "Think about it. Naruto may not be the brightest ninja around, (Hinata shot him a defensive glare) but he has some of the strongest emotions I have seen. I would bet seeing you with a boyfriend would really ignite some jealousy and passion for you."

Hinata frowned. It seemed like it would work and Hinata really wanted him to notice her so she gave in and allowed herself to be taken off to search for Naruto.

At the time Naruto anger had drifted off when he ran into Lee. He had decided to talk to Lee about what Tenten had said.

He took Lee to Ichikura's and ordered two ramens.

"So Naruto, whats up?" Lee asked curiously.

"Um… well, have you ever thought about anyone besides Sakura?"

"Naruto? Why are you asking me that?"

"I'm just saying there are other girls besides Sakura. And one of them really likes you."

Lee's head perked up. "Who?"

"Well… its T-"

"Hey Naruto!"

Naruto poked his head out and saw Hinata, Shino, and Kiba walking towards them.

He smiled brightly and waved to them. Then he noticed how close Hinata and Kiba were. Then KIba smirked and put his hand on Hinata's butt. Naruto's smile vanished.

"Naruto? Are you growling?" Lee asked

Then Kiba leaned over and kissed Hinata on the cheek.

Suddenly, Naruto dissappered. Before Hinata could even blink with surprise, Kiba was on the ground with a snarling Naruto on his chest.

Naruto's eyes were blazing red as he shouted at Kiba. "If you EVER touch Hinata like that again… I'll kill you!"

"Ok Ok! I'll back off." Naruto got up and let Kiba stand up. Kiba left as quickly as he could. Shino grabbed Hinata and walked off towards Kiba.

Lee stepped out of the stand and ran up to Naruto. "Naruto, that was amazing! I couldn't even see you move! I had no idea you were that fast!"

"Me either… my body just seemed to move on its own!"

Hinata and the others had met up in one of the training grounds. Kiba's eye was already turning a ugly shade of yellow.

"Jeez! What the hell was that!" Kiba yelled rubbing his eye. "Did you see his eyes? They were red!"

"I don't know, but whatever it was… it scared my bugs to death." Shino summoned his chakra and raised his arms. "They won't even come out. There was something deadly in his eyes…"

"Yeah… that plan totally failed. But I have another one!" Kiba yelled.

"Please no more! Naruto has been through enough!" Hinata pleaded.

"Don't worry. We just have to find Ino, get her to use her mind transfer thing and read his thoughts to see if he likes you!" Kiba laughed out loud. "It's perfect!"

Hinata sighed softly. She didn't want to do this to Naruto, but she was just too curious. She really wanted to know how he felt.

Meanwhile, a dark figure had been watching the entire thing. _It seems the kyuubi has a certain fondness for that Hyuuga girl. _The figure laughed quietly and retreated into the shadows.

**I'm sorry for not posting this chapter sooner but I got lazy… anyways I hoped u liked this one and hopelfully ill get more than three reviews this time. **

**Next time on sunflowers: Ino discovers something in Narutos mind. A dark and evil presence. Will she survive the trip into Naruto's mind and just who is this figure following Naruto?**

**Lol that was fun I think ill do that from now on. I should post the next chapter sometime this week. See ya then!**


	9. Inside the head of a demon

**Hello readers! I would like to take a moment to thank all the readers and reviewers who have stuck with me since the first chapter! I took some time to read some other fanfics and mine doesn't seem to have near the fluff that others have. But that ends with this chapter. This chapter is the turning point for my story. Don't worry its not almost over and Naruto doesn't miraculously fall in love. Read on and enjoy!**

UNdisclaimer: I OWN NARUTO!! Mwhahahaha! That's right I own it. And there is nothing Masashi Kishimoto can do about it! Besides I doubt he even speaks English! HAHAHAHA! (im so getting sued for that P )

Chapter 10

"You want me to do WHAT?" Ino yelled in disbelief.

"Please Ino, we need your help. All you have to do is enter his mind and see if he likes Hinata."

Kiba asked politely.

Ino remember what he did only a few hours ago. He had knocked her down and ruined one of her mothers vases, which she had to pay for. _I swore I would get my revenge on him! And… I have always wondered what goes on in that empty head of his…  
_

"All right… I'll do it." Ino said.

Kiba raised his fist in triumph. "All right! Let's go!"

Ino folded her apron and hung it on the rack, then she put a "Be Back Soon" sign on the window.

"Ok, I'm ready."

They hid up on the roof across from Ichiruku's and waited for Naruto to stop by. They didn't have to wait long, of course.

Naruto came walking in, hungry for his daily ramen. Kiba and the others didn't even have to wait more than 15 minutes.

Ino aimed her hand sign at Naruto's back and took a deep breath. "Here I go! Mind Transfer Jutsu!" Her body became limp and Kiba had to save it from falling off the building.

They all looked over at Naruto, waiting for Ino's sign. However, the sign never came. The old man bought Naruto a bowl of ramen and Naruto slurped it down, like nothing had happened.

Kiba looked over at Shino, giving him a "wtf" look. Shino just shook his head.

Meanwhile, inside Naruto's conscious, Ino was having some difficulties.

"It sure is dark in here… and wet. Huh? Why is there a cage in here? Wha-? What is this?"

A red, gloomy chakra had begun to ooze out of the cage and it circled Ino until it completely surrounded her.

Suddenly, Ino felt all of Naruto's pain and suffering. She felt the pain of being beaten by the villagers ever since he was a baby. She felt the pain of never knowing a family's comfort or love. But most of all she felt fear and sadness, and it overwhelmed her. She sank to her knees and began to cry.

Then, a large claw emerged from the darkness inside of the cage. It reached out and grabbed the screaming Ino and brought her inside the cage.

It was then she saw the large fangs of a fox. Ino's scream died in her throat and she lost the ability to breathe. The fox's eyes were filled with hate and murderous intent. But Ino's eye was attracted to the nine tails that were curled up in the back of the cage.

The fox spoke. It was a deep and echoing voice and it filled Ino with fear. **"It's been some time since I had human flesh! You smell delicious!"**

The fox pulled Ino closer to his mouth and grinned evilly. Ino quickly brought her hands together and yelled "RELEASE!"

The fox and its cage disappeared and in its place stood Kiba, Shino and Hinata. Ino sat up, gasping for air. She was still crying and trembling in fear.

Shino was the first to notice it. Her arms and legs had been badly burnt as if they had been placed near a hot fire. And her eyes were staring off into space, terrified of some unseen object.

"Ino! Are you ok? What happened?"

Ino seemed to be having trouble speaking. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out besides terrified sobs and gasps.

Hinata stepped forward and placed a hand on Ino's shoulder. "It's ok. You are safe now."

Ino nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "T-There is s-something inside h-him… a-almost k-killed me…" She gave one last whimper and passed out.

Kiba stared at her in horror. "Just who, or what, is Naruto?"

It was a while later before any of them could speak. Finally Kiba and Shino decided that they should take Ino back so she could rest. They left Hinata, promising to tell her if Ino said anything more.

Hinata was alone now… and it was dark. She turned to head home, but something called out to her.

"Hinata!"

Hinata froze trying to match a face with the voice. It didn't take long as she knew the voice well.

"Naruto..?"

"Hinata! Come over here! I need you!"

Hinata blushed and walked towards Naruto. As she approached him, Naruto suddenly grabbed Hinata and threw her into a dark alley.

Naruto pulled some rope out of his pouch and tied Hinata up. "You're mine now. And you will do exactly what I say." Naruto growled.

_No! Not here! Not like this!_ Hinata thought as Naruto took another step towards her.

MWHAHAHA major cliffhanger! Sorry for such a short chapter but I never planned on ending it like that. I had a random inspiration so I left u with that sweet ending. But I will post the rest this weekend or sooner.

Next time on Sunflowers: Hinata sees a side of Naruto that she could never have dreamed of. Will it scar her forever or will it make her love Naruto even more. Find out next time!

God u ppl must be shaking in ur boots with a cliffhanger like that! hehehe


	10. The Fox Released

**First of all id like to thank you for all your reviews. 17 reviews in just one day! Gets a tissue Thank you all so much. And a special thank u to James as he is my #1 reviewer. Hands over dinky trophy made of toilet paper rolls Btw only 29 more reviews to the 100****th**** review and the special reward. **

**Back to business. This chapter is kinda short as I cut it in half with the last chapter but it is still good. And that cliffhanger was pretty good. Some of u smart reviews have figured it out already, but u will all see soon. And fyi Kyuubi means 9 tailed fox**

Oh and Allison, Since Cameron is my brother, he has access to my notebook, so he has already read chapter 14. don't let him ruin my awesome cliffhangers. Lol kick his butt if he tries.

Disclaimer: why do I always have to put something funny here. That's a lot of pressure you know! Its not as easy as it looks! Actually I thought the geico one was pretty funny…

Chapter 11

_No! Not here! Not like this! _Hinata screamed in her head as Naruto stepped closer.

Naruto grinned menacingly and placed a rag in Hinata's mouth. "As much as I'd love to hear you scream, I can't have you attracting unwanted attention. We need to be alone in order for this to work."

_Relax, Hinata. At least he is taking the first step. You just need to calm down and enjoy it…but if I have a gag in my mouth, how will I…_

Naruto laughed and put his fingers into a hand sign.

Suddenly, Naruto disappeared into a puff of smoke. In his place stood Kabuto. (See? Naruto wouldn't rape her….yet mwhahaha)

Hinata felt a strange mixture of disappointment, relief, and fear, all at the same time.

Kabuto smiled and raised his arm over her head. Hinata closed her eyes and thought of Naruto. Then her world went black.

Meanwhile, Naruto was walking back to his house. Suddenly Naruto felt a stab of hunger as his stomach growled loudly. While he had been innocently eating his ramen, the damned fox had woken up for some reason. Naruto had been flooded with evil chakra and had snarled at Ayane.

The old man had kicked Naruto out without even letting him take his left over ramen. Naruto figured that he could eat the ramen he had at home and headed there immediately.

Upon arriving at his front door, Naruto felt a familiar chakra. Then he was overcome with a sudden uneasiness and anxiety. A kunai suddenly whizzed past his ear and stuck to his front door. On it was a note.

It read: _If you ever want to see the Hyuuga girl again, come to training ground 17._

Naruto reread the note in disbelief. _I can't believe it! _(I know! Naruto saying he can't believe it how strange!)

Red chakra started to flow out of Naruto. His eyes curved into slits and his teeth grew and sharpened into fangs. He took off at top speed, running down the street on all fours.

Kabuto, meanwhile, had tied the unconscious Hinata up to a tree. However, as Kabuto tightened the ropes, Hinata began to stir.

Her head hurt and her vision was hazy, but she ignored the pain as she tried to place her surrounding.

She quickly realized that she couldn't move her arms or legs. She looked down and it all came flooding back to her. Kabuto had tied her up in the alleyway and had knocked her unconscious.

She looked back up, searching for Kabuto.

"Looking for someone?" Kabuto said, directly behind Hinata.

"I assume you're looking for that Naruto-idiot. It's a shame he is about to walk into his own grave. And all to save poor little you."

Hinata gasped and her eyes filled with tears. She wanted to be saved, but if it meant that Naruto had to risk his life, she would rather die right there and then.

Kabuto laughed. "Aw… I hope I didn't make you feel guilty. It's not _all_ your fault he is about to die."

Hinata glared at him, hatred filling her eyes. She had never hated someone as much as she hated this man right now.

"What's this? Do you hate me now? Then why don't you say so? Come on, tell me how much you hate me!" Kabuto reached over and pulled the gag out of her mouth. But before he could pull his hand back, Hinata bit down, hard.

Hinata tasted blood, but bit down harder, until Kabuto furiously ripped his hand away.

"You bitch!" He pulled his arm back and curled his hand into a fist. He threw his fist towards her face with lightning speed. Hinata closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable pain.

But… it never came. Hinata opened her eyes in surprise and her vision was blinded by orange.

"Naruto!" Hinata gasped.

Naruto had one arm wrapped around Kabuto's holding his fist inches away from Hinata's face.

The other arm held a kunai and was securely placed at Kabuto's throat.

Hinata, however, was staring at Naruto. He had those red eyes again and Hinata knew this wasn't good.

Kabuto smiled. "I see. Naruto, you have improved greatly."

Suddenly, Kabuto's hands became covered in a blue chakra. He reached up, quickly striking the arm that Naruto had grabbed him with. Having freed his other hand, Kabuto delivered a series of quick blows all over Naruto's body.

Kabuto jumped back to a safe distance and shouted to Naruto. "It doesn't matter how good you have become, Naruto. Without those vital muscles, you won't even be able to stand."

Naruto hung his head, his eyes becoming hidden underneath his bangs. A red tail began to form out of the red chakra that was oozing out of Naruto.

Suddenly, he burst forward, running at Kabuto with a kunai in his hand.

_What?! He shouldn't even be able to stand! How can he run like this with his muscles so severely cut?!_

Naruto took a swing at Kabuto with his kunai , but Kabuto was too quick and ducked below the knife. But Naruto threw his other arm at Kabuto, and nailed him in his chest, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"I see." Kabuto said, coughing up blood. "The kyuubi truly is a frightening opponent. I'd almost forgotten your healing capabilities. It's almost too bad you can't say the same thing about the Hyuuga girl."

Kabuto whirled around and threw several kunai at Hinata. Hinata closed her eyes as the kunai flew towards her. Suddenly, she felt warm blood splash onto her face.

She opened her eyes, finding no wounds in her body. She looked up into red eyes.

He had several kunai in his back, but there was no wince of pain on Naruto's face.

Hinata looked into his eyes, seeing the anger and hate in them. _This isn't Naruto!_ She thought But there was something else. She could make out the hidden signs of pain and loneliness that she had seen in Naruto's eyes before.

However, there was something else in them that Hinata had never seen before. An emotion she never thought Naruto could feel. Fear.

What could be frightening him so? Was it this evil chakra that enveloped him? Or perhaps it was something else…

Suddenly, there were several soft thuds as the kunais fell out of Naruto and onto the ground. The wounds instantly disappeared, leaving no scar in their place.

Hinata gasped. _What's happening to him?_

Naruto had begun screaming in agony as the red chakra swirled around him furiously. A second tail began to form, intensifying Naruto's screams.

Then, Naruto stopped screaming, and he became deathly quiet. Suddenly he smashed his hand into the ground, filling it with his chakra.

A claw made out of pure chakra exploded out from the ground beneath Kabuto. The claw grabbed Kabuto and slammed him into the ground, repeatedly and then it threw him against a tree.

Once again, Naruto screamed in agonizing pain as a third tail began to form. The chakra began to bubble off Naruto's skin, leaving intense burn marks on his skin.

Kabuto wiped the blood from his face, as he stared at the three tails made of red chakra. He was no match for him now. This was getting out of hand. If he stayed any longer, it was likey that he would be killed.

Kabuto formed his hands into a hand sign and he began to melt into the ground. "Mark my words, Kyuubi. I will be back and you won't be so lucky next time." He said as his body disappeared.

Naruto dived at the spot where Kabuto had vanished and dug his claws into the ground, but Kabuto was no where to be seen.

Naruto let out a huge roar and a beam of pure chakra erupted from his mouth, decimating everything in front of him. Trees were ripped from their roots and torn to pieces.

Naruto had put all his anger into this howl and when he finally stopped the tails had already begun to disappear. The red chakra retreated back into his body and Naruto's physical appearance returned.

He stumbled towards the tree where Hinata was tied up. He managed to cut the ropes binding her, but his energy was spent and he passed out.

Hinata leaned forward and caught him before he could hit the ground. She pulled him close and looked at his face. The fangs were gone and he had a somewhat calm look upon his face.

She hugged him tightly and began to cry into his shoulder.

"Uh… is this a bad time?" Kakashi poked his head out from behind a tree.

Hinata gasped and quickly wiped her eyes. "You're his teacher…Kakashi?"

"Yep!" Kakashi smiled making his eye into an upside down U.

Kakashi turned around, admiring the damage Naruto caused. "Wow! Any long and he would of destroyed the whole forest!" Kakashi laughed as if he had just told a hilarious joke.

"Mr. Kakashi? What is Naruto…? How could he take all those wounds and not even have a scratch?"

Kakashi's smile faded and he voice turned serious. "I'll tell you since you already saw him like this, but you will have to promise not to tell anyone else. Naruto will tell everyone when he is ready."

"Tell us what?"

Kakashi sighed. "First of all, do you remember the Nine Tailed Fox that attacked our village years ago?"

"Yes. I've heard about it. It killed my mother and many others. The Fourth Hokage killed it right?"

"No. The kyuubi couldn't be killed. However, the Fourth was able to seal it inside a newborn baby. He sacrificed his life to do this."

"…So.. Naruto… i-is.."

"Yes. Naruto lost both his parents that day and was cursed with being the Kyuubi's cage. The other villagers didn't understand this and blamed Naruto for their loss. They have hated him and beaten him since birth."

"W-Who else knows?"

"Only the people who were alive when it happened. The Third made sure that no one was allowed to speak of Naruto's condition in hope of Naruto having a normal life. But that didn't happen at all, instead he has lived one of solitude and fear."

Kakashi walked over to Hinata and held out his hands. "Here. Let me take him to the hospital."

Hinata let go of Naruto and Kakashi gently placed him on his back. He turned to leave, but stopped suddenly and turned back towards Hinata.

"You know, after Sasuke left, Sakura has been to busy to talk to Naruto so he has been alone for a while. He needs a friend now more than ever." With this Kakashi raised his hand and disappeared.

_Naruto needs me? I can't let him down! I won't!_ Hinata thought as she raced towards the hospital.

Meanwhile, Kabuto was reporting his mission to Orochimaru.

"The Kyuubi's power is increasing very rapidly. It wouldn't take much to break the seal"

"Good. We will let him progress for a while longer and then we will make our move."

"Yes, sir" Kabuto bowed and shrank away into the darkness.

"The Kyuubi's power is one to be feared. If the Akasuki were to get their hands on it they'd be unstoppable. I must dispose of Naruto when the time comes." Orochimaru said to himself.

Ah… such a good chapter. And the next one just gets better and the one after that is my favorite part. Its so exciting! Anyways I don't when ill be able to post the next chapter. Probably next week. Please R&R

Next time: Naruto wakes up to a familiar face. What will be its reaction when he reveals his darkest secret?


	11. Hospital Hospitality

Id like to take a moment to thank everyone who has stuck with me from the beginning. It started off pretty slow and the chapters weren't very long. But id like to announce that the official NaruHina fluff begins now! Yay! Don't get too excited. Hey aint going to kiss for a while. Im still trying to keep it as real and close to the real anime as possible.And btw only 10 reviews left until my big 100! Review often if u want the reward for being the 100th review. I will also give out rewards for the 200th review and so on. Good Luck and lets begin the fluff!

Disclaimer: Naruto's isn't dense just because he is blonde! There are plenty of smart blondes in the anime … like Ino…. oh wait… or tsunade…damnit… or… temari… oh crap… . ok so there aren't a lot of smart blondes. Sigh…

Chapter 12

As Naruto started to wake up, he felt a familiar presence. He looked around, having no clue where he was. He was in the hospital, but he wasn't alone. Hinata was sitting in a chair right next to the side of Naruto's bed.

"H-Hinata…?" Naruto said as he fought with exhaustion. "How long have I been out?"

Hinata opened her mouth to reply, but an idea popped into her head. She might not get another opportunity like this.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto.." Hinata whispered as her eyes filled with tears. "They weren't able to save your legs."

"WHAT?!" Naruto screamed as he ripped back the covers. His legs were still there… he lifted one to test it… then he lifted the other one.

He looked back at Hinata only to see that she had fallen out of her chair due to a fit of laughter.

"That wasn't fair, Hinata! Picking on the injured like that!"

Hinata started to calm down. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I couldn't resist. A-Anyway, you have only been unconscious for a few hours."

"So you thought it would be fun to scare me half to death after I woke up from a battle like that…. wait… how did I get here?"

"Well… Kakashi showed up and carried you back here. He explained everything."

Naruto's eyes widened with surprise and worry. "E-Everything…?"

"Yeah…"

"So… you know about the…"

"Yeah…"

An awkward silence passed between them, neither wanting to speak.

Naruto finally broke the silence. "So I guess you don't want to be friends anymore…" Naruto whispered painfully.

Hinata reached over and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Of course I do!"

Naruto looked into her eyes, amazed.

"I don't completely understand it, but the way I see it you aren't the kyuubi. You are Naruto Uzumaki. You have been through so much; you've been through pain that I can't even imagine. But more importantly, you are my friend and that will never change."

Naruto's eyes were filled with tears. "H-Hinata… I-"

"May I come in?"

Naruto quickly wiped his eyes and Hinata, realizing she was still holding Naruto's hand, quickly droped it and backed away, blushing.

"Go ahead!" Naruto called out.

The door opened and Sakura stepped in with a clipboard held to her chest.

"Hey Naruto! I pulled some strings so I could be your nurse!"

Naruto glanced at Hinata before replying. "That's… nice."

Sakura missed his hesitation as well as the blush on Hinata's face. (I know. Shes such a great ninja… so observant…)

"I know! Anyway I'll need to give you a quick examination. Just to make sure everything's where it's supposed to be."

She reached over and grabbed onto Naruto's arm. "I'm going to check your pulse so take a deep breath… now let it out slowly… ok and now… wait… what is this, Naruto?!"

Sakura had noticed the intense burns all over Naruto's arms, caused by Naruto's use of the Kyuubi's chakra."

Naruto laughed nervously. " Uh… well … you see…"

Hinata quickly spoke up. "Naruto got badly injured by a rogue ninja'a fire technique."

"Is that it, Naruto?"

Naruto starred at Hinata for a second. "Uh… yea… that's what happened."

"Well, you don't have to be so embarrassed. Everyone has an off day every now and then. Even the incredible Naruto!" Sakura laughed.

"The burns aren't too serious." Sakura said. "They should heal in a few days." She got up and walked to the door. "Well, it's a busy day so I'd better be going. Later!" She waved and walked out the door, closing it behind her."

Naruto turned his attention back to Hinata. "Hinata! Why did you…?"

"Let's just keep the whole kyuubi thing our little secret. You don't have to tell anyone else until you're ready."

"Thanks Hinata. I don't what I'd do without you."

Hinata blushed. Her confidence started to fade away. "I-It's n-nothing!"

"No! I'm serious" Naruto raised his right hand and began to count off his fingers. "You gave me that medicine after my fight with Kiba. That stuff really works! Then, you offered to let me cheat off you in the Chuunin exams. You also were able to give me the courage to fight Neji with all my might. I was only able to beat him because of your inspiration! Then there was the whole Bichuu bug thing! That was all your idea!"

"N-No… Shino helped…"

"But it was still you who forced him to tell Tsunade about it. You made it all possible, even if it ended in a failure because of me. I mean you were even able to beat that giant bee thing with that amazing jitsu! And you're a wonderful cook." Naruto was surprised that he had run out of fingers on his right hand so he held up his left one and continued to count.

"Then you believed me instead of Kiba on that treasure hunt mission. That mean a lot to me. Not a lot of people trust me. You also saved my life when I fought against that magnetic guy. You also managed to save my headband. That's important too! And every time I was in the hospital, you came to visit me and you even brought flowers! Then you helped me with my chakra training…" Naruto was again surprised as he ran out of fingers. He reached over and grabbed Hinata's hand, causing her to blush deeply. He continued to count on her fingers.

"You were always there when I need to talk. And now you are even helping me keep my secret. You truly are my best friend!"

Hinata's blushed deepened and she began to have trouble breathing.

"You have done so much for me! But… But I hardly ever do anything for you, Hinata." Naruto's face saddened.

That's not true. You help me everyday of my life. Just the thought of you fills me with strength and confidence. I was only able to get stronger because of you!

At least that's what Hinata wanted to say. _Come on Hinata! Tell him how you feel! Tell him!_

"Naruto… I-I …. I"

"Hmm? What is it, Hinata?"

Hinata's face reddened and she could no longer look Naruto in the eye.

"I..uh… I-I… I have to go to the bathroom!" she yelled and ran out of the room.

_Guess she really had to go_! Naruto looked over and noticed something shining on his hand. He pulled his hand closer to examine it. _Hmm? Water? No wait… its tears! Hinata… is she crying?"_

Meanwhile, Hinata was in the bathroom wiping her eyes. _Stupid! Why can't I tell him how I feel?_

She dried her face and headed back to Naruto's room.

As she walked back in, Naruto noticed the weariness in her step and the faint bags under her eyes. Her eyes were also red and puffy. _Wow. She looks exhausted. She really needs a break_.

"Hey, Hinata? Are you busy tomorrow?"

No… Kuranai is on a mission so my schedule is pretty much blank."

"Good. Can you meet me outside my house at 9 a.m. tomorrow? Oh and bring some lunch, you really are a great cook!"

Hinata blushed. "Um… what for, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned broadly. "Why for our date of course!"

_Date?_ Hinata's entire face turned a deep crimson. _I have a d-date with Naruto?_

Naruto smiled again and Hinata, unable bear it any longer, passed out.

"Wow! I just thought I'd try to cheer her up. She must be _really _tired!"

_Guess I'd better take her home._ Naruto got out of bed and picked up Hinata. He placed her on his back and jumped out of his window and into the night.

As you can all see, Naruto is still as dense as ever. And don't read to much into Naruto's choice of words. He is just being a goofball, as always.

Next time: In honor of my 10,000 hits and 100 reviews I will present you all with my longest chapter ever and it will be FLUFFY!! nn


	12. Hinata's Hill

Ah… many of you most be steamed with me as I have been neglecting my writer's duties

**Ah… many of you most be steamed with me as I have been neglecting my writer's duties. My bad! But as the end of the year is approaching I am finding less and less time to write but I promise to post two more chapters before summer break. Fyi im not sure if I will be able to post much during summer… Make sure u add my story to ur story alerts so you will be notified when I post. And remember to keep reviewing! Next award will go out on the 200****th**** review. Although im not sure what it will be… and now for the greatest chapters so far! (insert applause here)**

Disclaimer: ok so I ran out of sarcastic disclaimers… its not that easy. Anyway ill try something else, ill just post some of my favorite sayings.

A closed mouth gathers no foot. Second place is the first loser. Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else. Atheism is a non-prophet organization. Borrow money from a pessimist, they don't expect it back. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines. Energizer Bunny arrested and charged with battery. Error, no keyboard. Press F1 to continue. Silence is golden, duct tape is silver. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.

Ok now back to my story.

The next day Hinata woke up and stretched her arms with a morning laziness. However as yesterday's events flashed though her head she found her self jumping out of bed with joy. She had a date with Naruto!

But something small nagged at her from the back of her head. That's right! I fainted at the hospital… How did I get back home?

She got up and walked throughout the complex looking for her father or Neji, wondering if one of them brought her back. She found her father training Neji in the courtyard.

"Um… G-Good morning Father."

Hiashi stopped his training and turned to look at Hinata. His eyes were stern and unforgiving. He turned and left the courtyard.

Hinata turned to Neji for an explanation.

Neji shrugged. "You didn't come home last night. Naruto brought you back around midnight. You were unconscious. Hiashi is still very suspicious of Naruto."

Neji turned to follow Hiashi, but stopped and looked Hinata in the eye. "If I were you, I'd avoid mentioning Naruto around your father." He turned and walked out

Hinata glared at his back defiantly and stuck out her tongue.

"I saw that."

Hinata gasped and ran into the kitchen. Her gaze drifted towards the kitchen clock and she let out a small "Eep!"

It was already 7:45! She was going to be late! (For a very very important date! Hehe Ignore the Alison in wonderland reference.)

She quickly ran back to her room and showered. She rushed out and into a clean set of clothes.

There wasn't enough time for breakfast so she skipped it. She brushed her teeth and made sure she hair was smooth and straight.

Then, she ran into the kitchen at around 8:10. She spent the next 45 minutes there, cooking lunch for Naruto. Naruto had said he loved her cooking so she had to make sure it was perfect for him.

She placed all her food into a backpack and headed towards the front door. She check the time as she ran towards the door.

It was 8:57. If she ran fast enough, She could make it to Naruto's house on time. Suddenly, Hiashi stepped out and blocked Hinata from leaving the house.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Um… well I …uh…"

"You're going to Naruto's, aren't you? What's going on between you two?! He demanded.

"N-Nothing… we just…"

Neji walked past the kitchen and noticed Hinata's predicament. He trusted Naruto and knew Hinata would be safe in his hands. So he decided to help Hinata out.

"Hiashi!" Neji called out loudly.

Hiashi turned towards Neji slightly, but it was enough for Hinata to break past him and run out the door.

She ran all the way to Naruto's house where he was waiting for her outside on his doorstep.

"Hey Hinata! Sleep good?"

"Yes. Thank you for taking me home after I passed out."

"It was nothing." He stood up and slung a backpack over his shoulders. "Ready to go?"

Hinata nodded. She wondered what he could have planned for their date. "So Naruto… where are we going?"

"Well… Iruka has been asking to see me again. So I thought we could make a real quick stop by the academy."

Hinata didn't mind at all and followed him all the way to the academy. She would have followed him into the depths of hell, just to be next to him.

They arrived at the academy where all the young students were running laps around the field. Konohamaru was the first to notice him.

"Hey, Naruto!" Konohamaru yelled as he jumped onto Naruto's back. Miyuki and Udon followed and they each held onto one of Naruto's legs.

"Hey now! Come on! I'm going to fall over!"

The other children noticed all the excitement and became envious of Konohamaru's fun. It wasn't long before Naruto was dog piled with every student in the class.

Naruto became to tilt back and forth with the weight of all the kids' weight. He tried to steady himself, but he failed as he fell face first into the ground.

Hinata began to worry that Naruto had been hurt. She took a tentative step towards him. However, Iruka and noticed her worry and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Just watch."

Naruto started to lift his face off the ground and Hinata's worry vanished. He had a huge smile on his face even though he had fallen on his face and had twenty kids jumping on him.

He patiently played with each of them, letting them play with his ninja tools and he even let them try on his headband.

Hinata smiled. _Wow. Naruto sure is great with kids._

Iruka walked over to Naruto and made the children return to their laps. Only Konohamaru stayed behind.

"So Naruto… who is that girl?" Konohamaru asked. _She has been staring at Naruto this whole time with that look on her face…_

"Oh! I get it. She's your…" He raised his pinky finger and smirked.

"Wait! It's not like that!

Iruka laughed. "Seems that you two finally got together." He patted Naruto's head.

_Hinata was always watching Naruto in the academy. Even though he was my worst student, she was always so happy to be in the same class as him._

"So Naruto…When did she tell you?"

"Tell me what?" He looked back towards Hinata. She blushed and averted her eyes.

Iruka stepped back in shock. _He still doesn't know how she feels?!_

"Well… Iruka… I had better go. I have plans."

"Ok, Naruto. Don't be afraid to stop by and visit me."

Naruto bid his farewells and ran back to Hinata. "Ready to go?"

Hinata nodded.

"OK. Follow me!"

Naruto lead Hinata to a dock overlooking the pond. "Let's have lunch here."

"OK" Hinata sat next to Naruto and took off her backpack. She began to open the pack, but Naruto tried to peep inside.

She quickly closed the backpack and smile at Naruto. "It's a surprise." She moved her pack to her other side where Naruto couldn't see it.

She pulled out two cups of homemade ramen. "Could you go heat some water?"

"Sure." Naruto's mouth had already begun to water at the sight of Hinata's homemade ramen. He grabbed a kettle filled it with water. He then walked off to build a fire.

Hinata watched him go and as soon as he out of sight she began to panic. She frantically checked her refection in the surface of the pond. She began to visualize everything that could go wrong.

_What if he doesn't like my cooking? What if I fall into the pond? What if I accidentally burp? Omigosh! What if he tries to kiss me?_ Her cheeks grew hot and color seeped into her face. _What if he likes the kiss?_ Hinata's eyes glazed over and her face burned crimson. _He'd put his hands on my… on my…._

Hinata gasped and leaned over the dock to splash her face with cold water.

"Hinata? Are you ok?"

Unfortunately for Naruto, Hinata had not been expecting to turn around and see Naruto's face inches from her own. She did the first thing to pop into her head.

She screamed.

The scream scared Naruto so bad that he reared back and dropped the scolding hot kettle.

Without thinking he reached out to catch the kettle and stupidly grabbed the hot sides of the kettle.

He held back a scream of agony as the flesh on his hands began to sizzle. Even as his hands burned fiercely, he managed to calmly set the kettle on the dock without spilling any of it.

"Oh my God, Naruto!" Hinata yelled. "Look at your hands! Why didn't you just drop the kettle?"

Naruto started to blush a light shade of pink. "Well.. If it had fallen some of the boiling water could have spilled on you."

Hinata gasped and fought to hold back tears at Naruto's concern for her safety. But that happiness quickly turned to grief as she realized it was her fault that he dropped the kettle in the first place.

_Try not to be a burden._

Her father's words echoed throughout her head and the held back tears began to pour down her face.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto. I'm nothing but a burden to you… and everyone else!" She yelled in between sobs. She had been bottling up her pain for years now and it was finally spilling out.

Naruto had been surprised to see her tears, but what really upset him was the look in her eyes. It was the same look he saw in Gaara's eyes and in his own eyes. It was the look of someone without a purpose. Someone who thought their existence was useless.

He couldn't bear to see it in such a kind girl's eyes. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

Hinata looked up at him and suddenly stopped crying. It was not his touch that silenced her, it was the pain she saw in his eyes.

"I know that feeling all too well. The pain of being alone and useless… it's unbearable." Naruto's voice cracked and he closed his eyes. "I remember when I used to hate every person in this village. They threw rocks at me and chased me with sticks. I remember it like it was yesterday. But then I found people who were precious to me. Iruka, Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, and… you."

Hinata blinked in surprise and blushed a light pink. _I'm precious to him?_

"They saved me from being alone and I can never thank them enough for that. But you, Hinata, you have Kiba and Shino and even Neji. They all need you… and so do I. But I think your father is the problem. You can't stand to disappoint him, but he only sees you as a burden."

Hinata winced. He had hit the nail on the head.

"If that's the case then get stronger! Train and train until you are strong enough to prove him wrong!"

Hinata gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, but I'm not sure I can do it alone. Do you think you could help train me?

Naruto frowned for a split second. He knew that he wouldn't be here for much longer. Jiraiya would be back soon, but there was no way Naruto could say no to her when she was like this.

"OK! I'll train you for as long as I can!" Naruto smiled.

Hinata smiled back, but she knew there was something he wasn't saying. But she would deal with that later.

Hinata gathered all of her courage and reached over to grab Naruto's hand. She grasped it and squeezed it gently. Naruto winced in pain, but didn't let go.

Suddenly, it dawned on Hinata.

"Oh! Naruto! You burnt your hands!"

"Heh… I almost forgot." He said looking at his blistering hands.

Hinata reached into her backpack and pulled out some long, white bandages and ointment. She took Naruto's hands and gently applied the ointment and wrapped them in bandages.

"Thanks Hinata! You'd make a great nurse."

Hinata blushed at the compliment. She reached for the kettle and filled the two ramen bowls with steaming water.

"Mmmm… I don't think I have ever had homemade ramen before."

Hinata noticed his bandaged hands and blushed. "Ummm… I don't think you will be able to hold your chopsticks."

Naruto looked at his hands and his face fell.

"But I could feed you if you want."

Naruto's face brightened. "Would you really do that for me?!"

"O-Of course." She picked up her bowl and her chopsticks and pulled out a long strand of noodles.

Naruto opened his mouth wide and Hinata, nervously, placed the noodles into his mouth.

Naruto's mouth was in heaven. He closed his eyes and for the first time actually savored the taste of the noodles.

"Oh my God, Hinata! This is the best ramen ever!"

Hinata blushed and giggled as he opened his mouth expectantly.

Hinata was having the time of her life. _I'm actually feeding Naruto! And we are sharing the same chopsticks! Just like a boyfriend and girlfriend would!_

She would grab some noodles and place them in Naruto's mouth. Then while he was slowly chewing the noodles she would put some into her own mouth.

This really is the greatest! I can't believe I'm sharing a bowl of ramen with Naruto!"

They sat there eating ramen until both bowls were gone. They then went through several rice patties and pork buns, which both earned Hinata compliments on her cooking.

However, they were quite messy and Hinata had to constantly wipe Naruto's mouth with a napkin. But hey, who's complaining?

After they were finished they sat at the end of the dock, telling each other about some of their past missions.

Naruto would over exaggerate his part in each mission, but Hinata believe every word he said. Hinata's missions were never quite as exciting as Naruto's, but he listened to them as if they contained hidden clues to a cave filled with ramen.

They kept talking until the sun began to set, causing the sky to fill with brilliant colors.

"Oh Naruto… It's so beautiful." Hinata sighed.

"Yeah… It sure is. Hey! That reminds me." He quickly stood up and grabbed Hinata's hand, earning him a deep blush. "There is a place I want to show you!" He ran off pulling Hinata behind him.

Naruto ran for ten minutes, finally stopping at the top of a hill, near the Hokages' faces.

"This … is … my favorite… spot to … watch the sunset. Naruto said panting.

Hinata gasped in shock. The location was perfect. The hill gave them the perfect altitude to watch the sunset. The brilliant colors refected off the surface of the faraway lake.

They two stood there for a while, just enjoying the brilliant display of colors. Suddenly, Naruto snapped his fingers.

"I've got it! The perfect name for this place! Hinata's Hill." Naruto said

(A/N Hinata's name translates into sunshine so its sunshine hill catchy right?)

Hinata's eyes began to fill with tears. The moment was perfect. She sat next to Naruto and laid her head against his shoulder.

Naruto was surprised, but her touch comforted him and he wrapped his arm around her.

Hinata sighed happily. _This is it. This is complete happiness. _

They sat there for an hour just watching the sunset and enjoying each other's warm company. They remained even after the sun had set. The stars had come out replacing the sun's brilliant colors with a vast tranquility.

Naruto glanced over at Hinata and smiled. She was fast asleep with a peaceful smile on her face.

He took off his jacket and softly wrapped it around her. He picked her up and placed her on his back.

She began to awake when she felt warmth against her cheek. She opened her eyes to see her arms wrapped around Naruto and her face touching his.

She smiled, still half asleep and leaned forward and gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek. She then whispered into his ear, "Thanks for the best day ever."

Naruto's face grew hot and a blush formed on his cheeks. He looked back to say your welcome, but she was already fast asleep again.

Naruto carried her all the way to her house. He gently placed her on the soft grass in the courtyard just inside the Hyuuga complex.

Then he walked back to his own apartment, hoping she could forgive him for what he was about to do.

**YAY. Another cliffhanger! I hope you all enjoyed this fluffy chapter as I sure did enjou writing it. The next one should come out soon. Sometime next week maybe. Remember to review!**

**Next time. Naruto makes a decision that affects Hinata's life forvever. But is that choice what she really wanted? Find out next time!**


	13. Goodbye

Sorry for taking so long to update! Im on vacation so I might not be able to post very often. Although I will try to post at least once every two weeks or so. Anyways I have decided on my second pairing. It will be konohamaru and hanabi. Its just like naruto and hinata. I probably wont start it for a while and I wont put too much time into it. There will also be some slight leeXtenten. I just don't get why people like nejiXtenten. There is no evidence for it! Hope you enjoy this chapter even though it is kinda sad. And just as I heads up im starting to change some of the events that happened in the show so don't be too mad. I just added some romance and stuff to them.

Disclaimer: copyright is fun! ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE!!

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**Chapter 14**

Hinata awoke the next day a little dazed

She sat up and stretched her arms. Then, she froze as she recognized her surroundings. She had sleep outside?

_That's weird. Why do I feel so warm? _

Hinata looked down and realized she was wrapped in Naruto's jacket. She smiled and held it up to her cheek, hugging it. _So last night wasn't a dream_. She thought happily.

She ran into her room and placed the jacket under her pillow. She giggled, pulled it back out and nuzzled it with her cheek. She could still feel Naruto's warmth, radiating from the jacket.

She blushed and placed it back under her pillow. She then showered, dressed, and combed all the curls out of her hair.

_Maybe I should grow it out… Naruto might like it! _She giggled and ran out the door. She planned to run all the way to Naruto's house.

Arriving at Naruto's front door, Hinata began to get really nervous. She had come to tell Naruto how she felt about him. She began to practice what she was going to say.

Naruto… do you like me? Because I l-like you… No! Naruto I really enjoyed last n-night. Damn! I'm even stuttering in my mind now!

Hinata took a deep breath and softly knocked on Naruto's door.

No one answered

Hinata summoned her courage and loudly rapped on the door.

Still, no one answered.

Hinata was flooded with relief at evading her confession, but it was quickly replaced with worry. Hinata quickly ran to Ichriku's.

"Mister! Have you seen Naruto today?"

The old man scratched his head. "Well, yeah. He was here about 10 minutes ago. With some old guy with white hair."

"Thank you!" Hinata yelled as she ran into the street and activated her byuakugan.

She quickly spotted Naruto only a few hundred yards away, at the front gates of the village.

Hinata sighed with relief and ran up towards her crush. As she got closer she could hear the conversation between Naruto and the old man.

"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye? It's a three year trip…."

The old man trailed off as he noticed Hinata standing behind Naruto.

"Um… I'll wait for you at the gates."

Naruto turned, half-expecting to see Kakashi or Tsunade. When he saw Hinata standing there with tears in her eyes his heart broke. He had wanted to avoid meeting like this.

"I-Is it true? Are you really l-leaving?" Hinata said, her voice trembling.

Naruto sighed softly. She deserved to know the truth.

"Yes. It's true. I'm going to go train with Pervy-Sage for about three years."

Tears started to flow down Hinata's cheeks. "W-Why?" She whispered.

"So I can become stronger."

"B-But you are strong enough already. P-Please stay here, with me…" Hinata sobbed.

"Hinata… I can't. I need to get stronger. I just can't let myself be controlled by the fox."

"B-But if you stay… I could help you get stronger! We could…"

"Naruto! We need to get going soon!" The old man yelled.

"OK, Pervy-Sage!" Naruto yelled back. "Look Hinata, I'm really sorry, but I have to go. There is no other way."

"T-Then if you can't s-stay, take me with you!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Hinata… I can't let you do that. There is this organization after me. Well, after the fox's power, but it's the same thing. If anything ever happened to you, I could never forgive myself."

Hinata gasped. _He really does care! _Hinata sunk to her knees.

"P-Please, Naruto…" Her voice was hardly a whisper. "A-After last night… after we were finally getting to know each other… and now I won't s-see you for three years… I can't… I just c-can't…"

Suddenly, Hinata felt Naruto move behind her. She felt him wrap his arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight embrace. She felt his warmth as their cheeks touched.

Hinata looked backwards and up into his eyes and gasped. They were full of tears as well.

"Hinata… do you remember that day at Ichriku's? You said that we are friends and nothing will ever change that. I will never forget those words. They mean more to me than you will ever know, Hinata."

Naruto stood up and pulled Hinata back to her feet and gave her a huge grin.

"I won't disappoint you, Hinata. I promise you, I will come back strong enough to make you proud!"

"Come on, Naurto!" The old man called out.

"Well I guess this is good-bye for now, Hinata. I'll write to you. I promise!"

Naruto waved and ran up to the old man.

Hinata sank to her knees again and fresh tears began to pour down her cheeks. _Why?! Why is it so hard to say it?_

"Na-Naruto… I…. I-I… l-lo… I lov…"

It's just three words! Why can't I say them? Why can't I tell him how I feel?

Memories flooded through Hinata's eyes. She saw when Naruto fell off a tree, wearing only his underwear. She saw when she had eaten ramen with Naruto and the entire rookie nine had seen them eating together. And she saw the night before, when they sat and watched the sun set.

Naruto was the most important thing to Hinata. If he left Hinata didn't know how she could go on without him. She didn't know if she could find the motivation just to get out of her bed in the morning. Everything she had done, she had done for Naruto.

_Is it true? Do I really feel for him like that?_ The answer came without hesitation. _Yes! I… I lov…_

"I LOVE YOU, NARUTO!!" Hinata screamed with all her might

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Talk about a cliff hanger! Lol but don't worry I will post the rest of this chapter tomorrow so come back tomorrow and see what happens!


	14. Away

Sorry everybody for the really depressing cliffhanger! And sorry for not posting sooner like I promised. My laptop screwed up while I was on vacation. Something about it losing its licenses or something. Anyways this chapter is depressing but it is needed for plot development. Actually every chapter to this point has been plot development. Once Naruto gets back is when I will start the real romance, but naruXhina will not happen right away. Hope you have enjoyed the story so far… even though it started off horribly.

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_Is it true? Do I really feel for him like that?_ The answer came without hesitation. _Yes! I… I lov…_

"I LOVE YOU, NARUTO!!" Hinata screamed with all her might.

But it was too late. Naruto was already outside the village and didn't hear a word Hinata had said.

Hinata's resolve crumbled and she sunk to the ground and cried. She cried as if the world had ended, and for Hinata, it might as well have.

She cried harder than she had ever before. Even with all her father's abuse and the disappointment she caused, Hinata had never felt a pain like this.

She kept crying, not even caring that everyone was watching. She cried until she passed out from exhaustion. Fortunately, someone had the sense to notify her family and Neji was sent out to retrieve her.

The next morning, when Hinata woke up, she yawned and stretched like nothing had changed. Suddenly, it all came flooding back to her, like a tsunami of despair. She laid back down in her bed, the tears already flowing.

Neji awoke a while later and came into Hinata's room to wake her. He approached her unmoving figure, assuming she was still asleep.

As he pulled the blanket back, he found himself looking into twin pools of lavender. However, they were red, puffy and filled with tears.

But what surprised Neji most was that even though Hinata's eyes were open, Hinata wasn't really awake. Her eyes were hazy and it was as if the rest of the world didn't exist to her.

The only signs of life she showed was her death grip on Naruto's abandoned jacket. And the constant stream of tears from her eyes.

Neji sighed. He had heard the story from one of the bystanders. Apparently, a old man with white hair and a young boy in bright orange had left the village, and that's when Hinata had began crying and passed out.

Neji knew how Hinata felt about Naruto, he could never have expected her to be this depressed by his departure.

Neji gently shook Hinata and called out her name. However, she showed no signs of hearing him or feeling his touch.

"Hinata, please! I know you can here me! I know it hurts, but you can't stay in bed all day."

Again, Hinata didn't show any signs of hearing him.

"Fine. Do what you want." Neji said and walked out of her room.

( 1 week later )

Hinata had managed to get out of bed and walk outside. She had met up with Kiba and Shino.

"Hinata are you ok? I mean Naruto left over a week ago!" Kiba said.

Shino put a hand on Kiba's shoulder and pulled him aside. "Stop. They say the only person who can heal a broken heart is the one who broke it."

"B-But Naruto won't be back for 3 years!"

"Then all we can do is believe in her." Shino stated simply.

Kiba sighed. "I guess you're right."

( 1 month later )

Hinata was serving dinner to her father, Hanabi, and Neji.

Hiashi spoke in a cold tone. "Hinata, you haven't said a word in over a month. And more importantly, you haven't been training."

Hinata hung her head and bowed to her father. She finished setting the table and left the room.

Neji spoke up, concerned for Hinata. "Hiashi, I'm worried about Hinata. She isn't speaking and she hasn't eaten a full meal in a month."

"Hinata's burdens are her own. She is not a child."

Neji bowed his head. "Yes, Hiashi."

Naruto's POV

"Come on, Naruto! Hurry Up! We're almost into town."

"Shut it, Pervy-Sage! You just want hit on some cute girl!

Jiraya frowned. He had had enough of this Pervy-Sage thing. "Naruto, would you say hitting on girls is bad?"

"Of course! It's very VERY bad!"

"Then why do you constantly try to hit on Sakura?" As Naruto's face fell, Jiraya's ego rose into the clouds.

Suddenly, Naruto stopped walking. His head was lowered so that his bangs covered his eyes. _Is that what I have been doing to Sakura? Am I just like Pervy-Sage?_

Naruto looked up at Jiraya only to see him squeal with delight and chase after some girl in a mini-skirt.

No! I refuse to be anything like him!

( ½ year later )

"Come on, Naruto! Hurry up! You will never learn this jitsu unless you run faster!"

Jiraya had been teaching Naruto a new jutsu. First, he had made Naruto make a hundred clones. Then he had made Naruto race them.

Since they were all the same person, it usually ended in a 100 way tie.

Naruto crawled over to Jiraya, breathing heavily. "P-Pervy-Sage… I … I can't keep d-doing this! We all r-run at the same speed."

Jiraya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm…. You may be right." He strode over to Naruto and handed him a large bad. "Here. Put these on."

Naruto opened the bag and pulled out… "Leg weights?"

Jiraya laughed. "Not just leg weights! These are the heaviest leg weights you can get!"

"So… where did you steal these from?"

Jiraya slapped the back of Naruto's head. "You fool! Do you think the great Toad Sage would sink so low as to steal?"

Naruto jumped up angrily. "Yes! That's exactly what I think!"

Jiraya slapped Naruto's head again, driving him into the ground. "I don't care what you think! Put on the weights and run! And you won't stop running until you get first place!"

( 1 month later )

_Dear Hinata,_

_How are you? I'm fine. I was just wondering what you have been up to-_

"No!" Naruto crumpled up the letter he had been writing and threw it into a huge pile of crumpled papers. He grabbed another piece of paper. _More casual!_

_Dear Hinata,_

_What's up? I have been training so hard-_

"No! That sounds so lame!" Naruto crumpled the letter and threw into his pile.

_Dear Hinata, _

_Jiraya is such a slave driver! He is always making me work while he goes off to peek at girls!_

Meanwhile, Jiraya, who had been peaking into the women's bathhouse, suddenly sneezed giving away his position and resulting in him getting a vicious beating of 20 angry females.

He walked back to camp, discouraged and broken, only to see Naruto sitting amongst hundreds of crumpled pieces of paper.

Naruto was so busy writing that he didn't even notice Jiraya approaching him.

"So… Writing to your girlfriend?"

"AHH! Pervy-Sage!" Naruto quickly jumped up and hid the letter he was writing behind his back. "W-What are you doing back so early? And why do you have a black eye?"

It's none of your business!" Jiraya said and he stormed off.

"Phew." Naruto sighed. He sat back down and finished his letter.

_Dear Hinata, _

_I'm sorry it took me so long to write to you, but Jiraya hasn't even given me a break from all this training. I haven't gotten even an hour's break! My clothes are filled with holes! Anyway, I hope you aren't sad anymore. When I left you were crying really hard. You can't be sad, Hinata. I can't relax until I know that you're ok. I will return soon. I can't wait to show you all the new jutsu I've learned!_

_From Ramen Lover_

_p.s. I cant put my real name on this just incase this letter is intercepted._

Naruto read and reread his letter. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say, but Jiraya had told him not to tell anyone where he was.

Naruto sealed his letter into a small container and tied the container to a messenger bird. He tossed the bird into the air and watched it take flight. He continued to watch it until it disappeared over the horizon.

Naruto shrugged and followed Jiraya for more training.

( 1 week later )

"Hinata! A letter had arrived for you!" Neji yelled

Hinata walked out of her room, snatched the letter from Neji's hand and walked back into her room, all without saying a word.

_She is really starting to worry me. _Neji thought as he walked off towards the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Hinata sat on her bed, still depressed, and looked at the envelope. Seeing no name or return address, she threw it into her trashcan. However, as the letter hit the bottom of the can it made a loud "Thump!"

Her curiosity peaked, Hinata pulled the letter back out and opened it. She held it upside-down and a piece of naruto fell out. (naruto is an ingredient found in ramen like beef or egg)

Suddenly filled with hope, Hinata quickly pulled out the letter and began to read it.

When she was finished, she eyes were filled with tears and her hands were shaking. She opened her mouth to say the first word she'd spoken in almost a year.

"Naruto…"

( 2 weeks later )

"It's nice to see you outside, Hinata." Kiba said.

Hinata smiled. "I can't be sad all the time." _For Naruto's sake._

"Yeah… but you were so depressed. It was heart-breaking. Look! You haven't even cut your hair in a year!"

Hinata curled her finger in her now long hair. It reached all the way to her mid-back. "Actually… I think I kinda like it long."

"Yeah. You look really good with long hair. I'd bet Naruto will think you're so cute!" Kiba teased.

Hinata flinched. She had been thinking the same thing.

"Kiba! Don't tease me like that!" Hinata pouted.

Kiba laughed. "Sorry, my bad!"

( 1 year later )

"And then Hinata successfully defeated the rogue ninja, allowing Shino and me to secure the documents." Kiba reported.

Great job, guys! This is the 8th successful mission in a row!" Tsunade said.

"It's mostly thanks to Hinata. She has been amazing these past few months!"

Hinata blushed. "It wasn't all me! Shino and you did great as well!"

( 1 week later )

"You know, Naruto should be coming back anytime now." Kiba said as he and Hinata were walking home after training.

"I know… Do you think I've changed?"

Kiba laughed. "Of course! Not only as your confidence increased, but you have gotten way stronger too. One of the best kunoichi in the village!" Kiba smirked. "And you certainly have "grown". When was the last time you saw your toes?"

Hinata looked only to see that as long as she was standing straight up, her chest would block her view of her feet.

Hinata's face instantly turned red. "K-Kiba!"

Kiba laughed and walked off. "Naruto's so lucky!" he teased.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Jiraya had finally finished training."

"It's amazing that you could learn this jutsu in just a few years! It took the Fourth almost ten years to perfect it!"

"Wait… So this jutsu was created by the Fourth?" Naruto asked

Jiraya nodded.

"Wow! That just proves what an awesome ninja I am!" Naruto cheered.

"And with this technique you will be even faster than that kid in the green jumpsuit!" Jiraya said.

"Faster than Lee?! No way! I'm so amazing!" Naruto yelled.

"Anyways, we only have a few more months to train. We need to start heading back towards home."

"Home…" Naruto echoed.

That night, Naruto's dreams were filled with images of his home, his friends, and of Hinata.

hope you all enjoyed that chapter. btw im introducing a one sided love relationship in my next chapter. yay! everybody loves love triangles! i should be able to post sooner now that im back home.


	15. Home Again

Hey guys

Hey guys! I am now introducing the post time skip era! Now since they are going through puberty and have raging hormones, I am going to change some of their attitudes and reactions. I'll try to keep their personalities the same, but only older and not as innocent.

You will see when u read this chapter. As I said before I am introducing a love triangle into my story. James, I think you will enjoy this pairing! Hehe

Disclaimer: this is pointless. Who would sue me? I gots no money….. :(

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P.S. im am changing the entire first episode of shippuden so forget about that episode and don't complain "that's not what happened!" cuz im not listening!

"It's good to be back!" Naruto shouted from atop a large pole.

He couldn't wait to meet all his friends and see how they changed. It had been almost three years since he saw them.

"WOOHOO!!" Naruto shouted as he jumped from the pole.

"Hey! Quiet down!" A familiar voice shouted.

Naruto turned only to see his old friend Kiba riding on the back of a huge white dog.

"Kiba! How have you been doing?"

"Naruto? Is that you?

"Yep!"

Kiba ran up to his friend and playfully slugged him in the shoulder. "It's been forever, man! When did you get back?

"Only a few moments ago. H-Hey… whose dog is that?"

"You idiot. Don't you recognize Ackamaru?"

"What!? That giant dog is Ackamaru?"

"Is he really that big to you?"

"To me? HE used to ride on YOUR head! Now look at him!"

"Hmm… I guess you're right. I never really noticed."

"Ahem. It's about time you two notice I'm here."

Naruto turned towards the mysterious voice only to see someone in a dark trench coat and glasses leaning against a tree.

Kiba sighed. "Shino! Stop being so depressing!"

"That's S-Shino?! I didn't even recognize him in that outfit!"

You should remember your comrade's faces. That way, you won't hurt their feelings when you meet."

"Like I could even see your face under that hood!" Naruto argued.

"Eep!"

"Hmm?" Naruto turned around. "Did you guys hear that?"

Shino and Kiba shared a look that seemed to say "Uh-oh".

Naruto walked towards the sound. He turned a corner barely avoiding running into a very pretty girl.

"H-Hey Kiba! Who is this beautiful girl? I don't recognize her!"

"You dunce! That's Hinata!"

"H-H-H-Hinata?" Naruto's face flushed with embarrassment. However, it was nowhere near as red as Hinata's.

… _Beautiful? Naruto thinks I'm beautiful?_ She had almost fainted at seeing him, but what he had said made her freeze.

Naruto quickly recovered from his embarrassment and pulled Hinata into a deep hug. "Long time no see! Did you get my letter?"

Still blushing and barely managing to stay conscious, Hinata smiled. "Y-Yes. It really helped me out."

Kina smirked. "Are you kidding? Hinata didn't even talk until-"

Kiba was interrupted as Hinata rammed her elbow into his side.

"That's great!" Naruto said, totally oblivious to Hinata's elbow and crimson blush.

"Anyways…" Naruto began. " I was thinking about throwing a little reunion by the lake tomorrow. Do you guys think you could come?

"I don't kn-" Kiba was once again interrupted by Hinata's elbow.

"Of c-course! We will be there!" Hinata promised

Naruto broke out into a huge grin. "Great! I'll go invite everyone else!"

With this, Naruto ran off looking for his other friends. However, as soon as he was out of sight, Hinata began to panic.

What will I say to him? I haven't seen him in three years! I wonder what he looks like in a swimsuit… and what am I going to wear!?

"Hinata! Where are you going?!" Kiba shouted as Hinata ran off towards the Konoha shopping district.

Meanwhile, Naruto was searching for the rest of his friends. He figured Chouji would be the easiest to find so he headed towards Chouji's favorite barbeque restaurant.

Just as he had expected, Chouji was sitting in a booth with a steaming pile of pork in front of his face. What he had not expected was to also find Ino and Shikamaru sitting with Chouji.

"You know something, Chouji? If you spent hapf the time training as you did eating, you would be the greatest ninja in Konoha! You really…."

Ino trailed off as she noticed a super hot blonde standing by the entrance. _Who is that total hottie? I think I should get to know him better!_

Ino waved her hand to the cute guy, inviting him to their table

Seeing Ino's wave, Naruto broke into a huge grin, which nearly caused Ino to faint.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"N-Nothing at all! Why don't you join us for lunch?" Ino said giving Naruto a very "inviting" smile.

Naruto smiled back and sat next to Ino.

Ino scooted right over next to him. "Here. Let me serve you." Ino said as she placed the finest pork slices onto Naruto's plate.

Shikamaru and Chouji gawked as Ino fawned all over Naruto. She was feeding him with her own chopsticks and even wiping his mouth for him!

Finally, after all the food was gone, Ino gave Naruto a more than friendly smile. "So…what's your name, cutie?"

Suddenly, Naruto began to feel very awkward.

Shikamaru and Chouji's jaws dropped. "Um, Ino? That's Naruto." Shikamaru whispered into Ino's ear.

"WHAT?!" _That can't be! He's even cuter than Sasuke!_

Naruto began to feel out of place, so he decided it was time to leave.

Naruto stood up. "Anyways, before I leave, I wanted to ask you guys if you could come to a reunion party at the lake tomorrow."

"Yes! We'll be there!" Ino said loudly. _So what if it's Naruto. He is still cute as hell!_

"Troublesome girl…"Shikamaru muttered.

"Great! Well, I'll see you there!" Naruto said and walked out of the restaurant.

"Omigosh! I need to buy a new swimsuit!" Ino yelled as she also ran out of the restaurant,

"Troublesome girl… She was supposed to pay…" Shikamaru complained as he reached for his wallet.

Meanwhile, Naruto continued to search for the rest of his friends. There was one person in particular whom he was excited to see again, and he knew exactly where to find him.

Naruto headed towards one of the training grounds deep within the forest. As he got closer he could hear the faint sounds of someone kicking a tree.

Naruto burst through the clearing, shouting his friend's name. "Lee!"

Lee turned around, surprised that someone was invading his training area. He was even more surprised to see such a familiar face.

"Naruto? Is that you?"

"Sure is!"

"Naruto! It's been three years!" Lee said, embracing his friend. "You sure have grown!"

"Yeah! And I learned this really amazing jutsu I wanted to show you!"

"What is it?"

"Well… I've invited everyone to the lake tomorrow and I was thinking about showing everyone the jutsu then."

"Cool! I may have to cut my morning training early, but I will be there!" Lee shouted giving Naruto the "Nice Guy" pose.

"Sweet. Also I-"

Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes next to Lee.

"Hey, Lee-baby? Are you still out here?" Tenten asked, climbing out of a bush.

'Lee-Baby?' Naruto mouthed to Lee.

Lee blushed and shrugged silently.

"Oh my… Is that Naruto?" Tenten gasped.

"Yep! Listen, I'm throwing a reunion party and the lake tomorrow. Be there and bring Neji and _Lee-baby_." Naruto laughed and walked off leaving Tenten and Lee blushing fiercely.

_Sakura's the only person left to invite… _Naruto though as he raced towards the Konoha hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, it didn't take long for Naruto to find Sakura. Her vibrant pink hair was hard to miss.

Naruto smiled to himself when he saw her. She looked exactly the same as she did three years ago.

"Hey, Sakura!"

Sakura gasped. "No way… Is that really you, Naruto?"

"Of course!" Naruto beamed.

Sakura smiled warmly. "It's been sooo long! What have you been up to?"

"Well… I had to- GAH!" Naruto yelled in pain and Sakura drove her fist into his stomach.

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN SEND ME ONE LETTER! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DEAD! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?" Sakura screamed causing several nearby patients to cower in fear.

"Ugh… well… I was so busy training that I didn't really have time to send letters to anyone." _Except Hinata…_

"Naruto? Did you want something?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"Oh yeah. Do you think you could come to the lake tomorrow? I'm throwing a reunion party there!"

"Sure! I'll get Yui to cover my shift."

"Great. Well, see you there!" Naruto waved and walked out of the hospital.

Meanwhile, at a swimsuit store, Hinata had a very difficult decision to make.

Should I wear a one-piece or a two-piece? The two-piece is cute and will show off my stomach. Will Naruto like that? Or maybe he'll think I'm a slut. On the other hand, the one-piece is pretty, but will it make me look immature? I don't want Naruto to think I'm too innocent… or do I? I want to look grown-up, but I don't want to be half naked…

"Oh! I don't know which one to pick!" Hinata yelled in frustration.

"Hmm? Is that you, Hinata?"

"Ino? What are you doing here?"

"Buying a swimsuit of course!"

"What for?"

"To attract a certain cute guy." Ino held up a very small and revealing bikini.

"Oh… Maybe you can help me? Which do you think Na- I mean a boy would like better? This one-piece or that two-piece?"

"Definitely the two piece! He will be after your body in seconds!"

_My body? I don't want Naruto after me like that…_ "B-But I think that-"

"Just get the two piece!" Ino shouted impatiently.

Suddenly, defiance arose in Hinata. "I think I'll get the one-piece." As she reached to pick out the one-piece, something caught her eye.

She reached out and pulled out a blue one-piece. However, on the stomach, It had a swirl mark very similar to the one that was on Naruto's jacket. Hinata figured that with some small stitching it would be identical to Naruto's swirl.

Hinata grabbed the swimsuit and headed for the counter along with Ino.

"So… Just who is this boy you're trying to impress?" Ino asked

Hinata gasped and her face would have made a tomato jealous. "N-Nobody!"

Ino laughed. "Too shy? That's ok. But if you don't confess to Naruto soon, somebody might snatch him up."

Hinata nearly fainted. "I-I never said it was N-Naruto!"

"You didn't say it wasn't." Ino smirked.

"He's a great guy. He never gives up and his friends are the most important things to him. Not to mention he's a total hottie!" Ino giggled.

Hinata smiled. "Yeah… I guess your right. He is pretty cute."

"Yeah! I wonder what he looks like in a swimsuit." Ino fantasized.

Hinata's eyes lowered in suspicion, but the thought of Naruto in a swimsuit was too much for her and it soon invaded her every thought.

Afterward, the two girls bade their farewells, swimsuits clutched tightly in their arms. Ino headed towards home, her mind racing.

I know Hinata really likes Naruto, but so do I! And she hasn't made a move at all! But still, she is shy and if I stole him away, it would break her heart. OK! I'll give her a month. If she hasn't made a move then, I will ask Naruto out myself! But could I really hurt Hinata like that? After all she is my friend…

Ino grumbled. She knew she wouldn't sleep much tonight.

Hinata, also, was still up. She had stayed up most of the night, stitching her swimsuit. It was perfect. She couldn't wait to show it to him. However, images of Naruto in a swimsuit continued to pummel her imagination.

It was obvious that Hinata wouldn't get much sleep tonight.

Meanwhile, Naruto was lying in his bed, wide awake.

Hinata is soo cute! And when we hugged… she was so soft! Wait! What am I thinking? Am I turning into Jiraya? I wonder what she looks like in a swimsuit?

Naruto didn't get a lot sleep that night.

* * *

How did you guys like that! Go me! Go me! Anyways this next chapter will definitely take me awhile. I haven't even finished writing it yet. I still need to proofread it and type it. So don't expect it for at least two weeks. Sorry, but I promise it will be the best chapter ever! and btw 200th review is getting close. whoever it is gets to make a naruhina scene or naruino ill put it in the next chapter so please review!

Next time: Naruto unleashes his new jutsu! What could it be? And just whose swimsuit will be the best? And also, what is this Lee-baby stuff? Could there be another pairing?

Find out next time.


	16. Lake Party

Hey guys! A miracle has occurred I stayed up for hours typing this incredible chapter for u how lucky are you guys! Anyways im going to explain a few minor spoilers so please skip this paragraph if u haven't watched shippuuden or read the manga. Anyways The fourth hokage is Naruto's dad. Naruto was named after a character in one of Jiraya's books. (Not a pervy one.) anyways the fourth was also known as the yellow flash for his high speed jutsu and his yellow hair. So that's a hint on what jutsu Naruto learned. Also for those who are worried about the Ino thing, don't worry! It will remain a NaruHina Ino is just there to make Naruto nervous and stuff. Oh and Hinata and Ino will become best friends. Hinata needs a girlfriend! ( not yuri! Perverts…) Ino and Naruto are so similar that I figured if Hinata loves Naruto then Ino would make a good friend for her. Shy and loud… opposites attract right? Anyways, enjoy this chapter as it is VERY long and I worked so hard on it!

KNOCK KNOCK

Hinata was awoken by someone obnoxiously pounding on her door.

"Hinata! Are you awake?"

Hinata rolled over and tried to ignore her cousin's loud voice. Suddenly, she bolted out of bed. _I'm going to be late for the party!_

On the other side of the door, Neji heard frantic movements and several drawers being shut. "Hinata? Are you OK?"

Instead of her reply, Neji heard the faint sounds of falling water. Neji fought to keep his curiosity restrained and his Byuakugan unactivated.

Hinata emerged from the room several minutes later, her hair dripping wet.

"Hinata… Did you just take a shower?"

"Yeah…"

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah. I'm going to a reunion party for Naruto."

"Wait… Naruto's back?!"

Hinata smiled. "Yep! He arrived yesterday."

Neji stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm… I wonder if he has gotten stronger. I wonder who would win in a fight now…"

"Did you want to come along?"

"Actually, yes. I think this could be interesting…"

"Well… I'm going now. So I'll see you there." Hinata said and walked out of the complex.

Meanwhile, Ino was also getting ready for the party.

She got out of the shower and stood naked in front of her mirror. She made several poses, scrutinizing every aspect of her body, making sure it was perfect for Naruto.

She then put on her revealing swimsuit, wrapped herself in her usual bandages, and put on her purple skirt and shirt.

She checked herself once more in her mirror before walking out the door. She made a brisk pace, heading for the lake.

However, along the way, she saw Hinata walking in the same direction. She decided she should at least say hi.

"Hey, Hinata!"

"Hello, Ino. Are you ready for the party?"

"Damn right! I can't believe that we get to see Naruto in a swimsuit in only a few hours!"

'I'm e-excited too. I …uh… I actually saw him shirtless once."

"WHAT? You did? You have to tell me all about it!"

Hinata began to tell Ino the story of when Naruto took off his clothes doing the tree climbing exercise.

By the time she was done, they were already at the lake. It seemed like they were the first ones to arrive.

However, an hour later, everyone else had arrived. Except for Naruto, of course.

Sakura grumbled. "Late to his own party! That's Naruto for you!"

"What about me?" Naruto said from behind Sakura.

Sakura screamed. "H-How did you sneak up on me like that?"

"Hmm? I wasn't trying to… Maybe you need to be more alert…"

Sakura grinded her teeth in fury. "And you're one to talk! Since when did you know how to hide your presence like!"

"…Um … I guess Jiraya must have taught me something like that."

"Geez. Just what else did he teach you?"

"A bunch of stuff! But this one is my favorite!" Suddenly, Naruto vanished. Then, as quickly as he had disappeared, he reappeared with an Icha Icha book in hand.

"Look!" Naruto said, holding out the book. "This is Kakashi's favorite book!"

Sakura's jaw dropped. "H-How did you do that?"

Neji activated his Byuakugan. "That wasn't a teleportation jutsu! That was high speed movement!"

Lee suddenly looked interested. "That wasn't a jutsu? Which means… Naruto is that fast?!"

Naruto laughed. "Wanna race, Lee? Or are you scared of losing?"

Lee's eyes turned to flames. "I never back down! Let's see just how fast you are!"

"OK! First one to the ramen stand wins and you have to bring back chopsticks as proof. Ready? GO!"

Lee took off running at full speed towards the ramen stand. Naruto, however, didn't move a muscle.

"N-Naruto… Why aren't you running?" Hinata asked.

"I'm trying to make it fair. Tell me when you can see Lee at the ramen stand, please"

Hinata activated her Byuakugan. "He's already there. He is on his way back now."

"Seems like a fair head start." Naruto said and then disappeared. He reappeared seconds later, the chopsticks hanging out of his mouth.

Then, Lee came barreling past him. "Man! You really are fast! I can't believe I lost to you! I guess I'm going to have to double my training!"

"Hey wait a second!" Tenten said loudly. "Lee is wearing his weights! So that wasn't a fair race!"

"Well… Actually…" Naruto took of his headband. "Watch." He dropped the headband and it slowly plummeted to ground. However, when it hit there was a huge 'BOOM' and a large dust cloud filled the air.

Then he pulled up his pants and pulled off two leg-weights exactly like Lee's. He dropped them and the lake was filled with more dust and another loud explosion.

When the dust cleared, Naruto's friends stared at him in shock. There were several deep holes at his feet.

"NARUTO! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?" Sakura screamed and threw a fist at Naruto's face. But he wasn't there. Sakura looked around only to see him standing behind her, a sheepish grin on his face.

"I feel sooo light!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"W-Why do you carry around so much weight, Naruto?" Hinata asked shyly.

"Actually it's not really a battle technique. It is used in conjunction with a rasengan. The rasengan has to make contact with the opponent for it to work and this technique allows me to close in on my opponent instantly. I call it the 'Instant-Rasengan'!"

"That really is amazing. You are sooo awesome, Naruto!" Ino yelled, causing Naruto to blush.

Meanwhile, Lee reached into the holes and tried to pull out Naruto's weights. "Holy crap, Naruto! This stuff is REALLY heavy! I don't think even I could carry it all at once!"

"Let me try!" Chouji said and stepped up to the holes. "Partial Expansion Jutsu! Both hands!"

Chouji's hands grew to ridiculous sizes and he plucked up all the weights. "Whoa! This stuff really is heavy!"

"Wow! I'm surprised you can pick it all up!" Naruto said. "It took me a year to do that! You really must be strong!"

"Yeah, but I can't even imagine running while wearing there weights! Are you even human?"

Naruto's shoulders sunk and his smile faded.

"Hey! Don't say that! It's rude!" Ino shouted in Naruto's defense. She knew what Naruto has inside of him and how much that comment must of hurt him.

Hinata, however, was surprised. Not only did Ino come to Naruto's defense, but she had even beat Hinata to it. _Does she know about the fox? _Hinata wondered to herself

"Sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean it like that." Chouji apologized.

Naruto put on his fake smile. "Don't worry! It's nothing."

Hinata recognized the fake smile and tried to make eye contact with him. However, it seemed he was avoiding her gaze.

Suddenly, Neji stepped forward. "If it's not a problem, Naruto… I would like to spar with you. I want to see just how far you have progressed."

Naruto grinned for real this time. "Sure!"

"H-Hey wait!" Tenten interrupted "Neji is the only jounin here! And Naruto is still a genin! Is this really a fair fight?

"Sure it is! Naruto kicked his butt in the Chunin Exams, didn't he? GO NARUTO!" Ino cheered.

Everyone backed off, giving the two rivals some space. Neji slid into his gentle fist stance while Naruto stuck his hands into his pockets.

Ino's eyes turned into hearts. "Naruto looks soo cool."

Hinata was thinking the same thing, but she managed to keep her thoughts in her head.

They all turned to the fight, each desperate to know who would win.

"Neji has got this one in the bag. Naruto doesn't stand a chance." Kiba said.

"Don't be so sure. All Naruto has to do is avoid Neji's gentle fist. And he certainly is fast enough."

"But Neji is a jounin. If he hits Naruto once, it's over. If Naruto slips off , is caught off-guard or loses his balance, Neji will strike and it will be over." Shino said quietly.

"Naruto won't mess up. Look at his face. He is serious about this fight." Hinata stated.

Suddenly, Neji leaped forward and reached out for Naruto's stomach. Naruto effortlessly reached out and caught Neji's arm.

Neji smirked. "You forget I can send out my gentle fist from any part of my body."

Naruto quickly pulled his arm back, but it was too late. Neji's chakra flowed through him, blocking his chakra points.

"That's OK! I can beat you with out using my chakra!"

"We will see about that! Eight trigram: 128 palms!" Suddenly Neji appeared in front of Naruto, his fingers flying at amazing speed.

However, Naruto swayed back and forth, moving with Neji's arms and dodging each one of his 128 strikes.

Neji pulled back and gaped at Naruto. "How did you dodge that?"

"That technique is pretty impressive! It's so fast it almost seems to stop time. But if I move faster than your eyes can follow, all you will see is my afterimage. You can't hit me with that technique."

Naruto grinned. _I'm going to have to use some of the fox's chakra. _"Now it's my turn to attack!"

Naruto dashed forward, however, as he got closer, Neji began to spin. When Naruto's fist made contact he was frozen in the whirl for a second.

"ROTATION!" Neji yelled.

Dust filled the entire battlefield. When it began to clear, Naruto was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, Naruto exploded from the ground beneath Neji. However, Neji sidestepped and blasted Naruto with Eight Trigrams: 64 palms.

Naruto fell to the ground twitching.

Neji smirked. "Did you think you could win with the same attack as last time? Your confidence was your downfall."

POOF! Naruto disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"A clone?! But how?"

Then Neji felt a sharp point in his back.

"6 inches below the neck. The Byuakugan's only blind spot." Naruto said as he held a pair of chopsticks in Neji's back.

"H-How did you know about that?" Neji gasped.

Naruto laughed and twirled the chopsticks between his fingers. He walked over to his headband and strapped it back on. He held up a hand sign and his headband made a poof sound.

"Ah! That's better. I never did like training with all those weights. That's your thing Lee."

Lee, like everyone else, was too stunned to speak.

Dead last Naruto, the only genin in the rookie nine had just beaten the #1 rookie, Neji, the only jounin in the rookie nine.

Ino was the first one to recover. "You rock, Naruto!"

"Wait a damn minute. Explain to me how Naruto was able to dodge all those strikes!" Kiba shouted.

Hinata spoke up. " Naruto was moving so fast that the eye couldn't keep track of him. After Naruto moves he leaves an afterimage behind him. Therefore, Neji was aiming at the afterimage, not the actual Naruto."

"OK, but how did he make a clone after Neji blocked his chakra points?"

Hinata froze. "Uh… he … has … t-two chakras?"

"Oh please. No one has two chakras!" Kiba yelled.

"It's possible that Naruto hid it underground before Neji blocked his chakra." Shino explained.

"Like Naruto could think that far ahead!" Kiba laughed.

"Hey!" Ino and Hinata shouted at the same time.

"Stop fighting." Shino said monotonously

"Yeah. I think it's time for a swim!" Naruto said happily.

Ino and Hinata simultaneously began to blush. Finally it was swimsuit time!

"Ooooh, Narutooo!" Ino cooed. " I need help changing into my swimsuit. Want to come 'unwrap' me?"

Naruto blushed. "Actually I have to change into my swimsuit…"

"Next time then." Ino winked and pulled off her clothes. Hinata did the same thing.

"Whoa, Hinata. Nice swimsuit." Naruto said as he walked up to her. "It looks just like a rasengan mark!" He held up an imaginary rasengan and placed his palm on Hinata's stomach, giving Hinata a fierce blush.

But Ino refused to lose to Hinata. "How do you like my swimsuit?" She said as she thrust her chest into Naruto's face.

"Um… It's nice!" Naruto said, trying to be polite.

"Thanks! What about your swimsuit?" Ino asked.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Naruto reached down and began to take off his clothes, until only his swimsuit was left.

Hinata and Ino were fighting to keep their drool in their mouths. Naruto's body was covered with muscles. It was clear how hard he had been training.

"Wow, Naruto. Your must work out." Ino said

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Naruto caught himself staring at Hinata. He quickly looked away, but Ino happened to look up at him at the same time and their eyes locked.

_He was so checking me out!_ Ino cheered in her head.

"So anyone up for a game of volleyball?" Naruto asked.

"Sorry, but Gai has a mission for us. We have to go." Lee said

"That sucks. Oh well… Anyone else?"

"Swim with you? Yeah right!" Kiba laughed. Neji, Shino and Shikamaru also said No.

"Some friends!" Naruto remarked. "I'll guess I'll just have to make a few shadow clones to play against!"

Naruto held up his hand sign and focused his chakra. Suddenly, A strange mark formed on Naruto's belly.

"Hey, Naruto… What is that?" Lee said, pointing to Naruto's belly.

"Hmm? Oh, that's my seal…" Naruto trailed off as he realized what he had just said.

"A seal? For what?" Neji asked.

Naruto looked around at his friends. They all were staring at his belly. His eyes met Hinata's and suddenly she understood. _Oh no! Please don't!_

Without warning, Naruto took off running into the trees.

"Wha- Where is he going?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded.

Hinata ran after him. She couldn't follow him, but she had an idea of where he was going.

She ran up to Hinata's Hill, just as the sun was beginning to set. She spotted Naruto sitting on the edge of the cliff.

"Naruto…?"

"Hey, Hinata. Guess my secret is out." Naruto said sadly.

"It doesn't have to be. Neji has a seal, too. No one treats him like a monster."

"No one really knows about it. Everyone is going to ask about my seal. I don't want them to think I'm a monster…"

"You are not a monster! You are a hero for saving the village from the fox!" Hinata said, trying to comfort her love.

Naruto smiled. "I'm not ready to tell them about that. I don't want to lie to them, but I don't want them to think differently about me.

"I know." Hinata said softly. She walked over and sat next to Naruto. "You don't have to tell them yet. Not if you don't want to."

Naruto sniffed. "Thanks, Hinata. I guess your right. You really are a great friend." He pulled Hinata into a deep hug.

Hinata blushed as she felt Naruto's bulging muscles against her skin. However, she managed to hug him back.

"Hinata, that reminds me! I have a present for you!" Naruto reached into the back pocket of his swimsuit.

" I found this in one of the villages I went to when I was with Jiraya." He held a silver ring. The crystal was sky blue.

"The crystal changes color in the sunlight." Naruto said and held it up to the light. The crystal sparkled and changed into a light lavender color. "It's the same color as your eyes."

Hinata began to silently cry. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. And Naruto had gotten it for her! It was the nicest thing anyone had done for her.

"T-T-Thank you so much. This means so much to me."

Naruto blushed. "It's nothing." He grabbed Hinata's hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.

However, Naruto was oblivious to marriage traditions and placed it on her left ring finger.

Hinata noticed this and sighed happily. She would never take it off. She leaned over and rested her head on Naruto's shoulder.

"Just like three years ago." Hinata whispered.

Naruto smiled and wrapped his arm around Hinata.

"I think you bested yourself again, Naruto. This is defiantly the best day ever."

Naruto laughed. "There are plenty more to come."

Hinata sighed again and closed her eyes. She wanted nothing more than a life filled with Naruto. She wished this day would never end.

But sadly, all good things come to an end. And they were going to come to an end fast.

Woohoo what a great chapter! Im so glad I posted it early! Btw the next person to review is my 200th and gets to add something to my story! As long as it fits… anyways the next chapter might take awhile wish me luck!


	17. Threesome

Hey guys! sorry this chapter took me sooo long but i didnt plan on writing this chapter. A few nights ago this scene popped into my head and i loved the thought of it so i put the mission chapter on hold and typed this one. i gave Hinata a a more teenage girl attitude with confliting emotions. Im sorry for the straying away from the actual show but i like this idea better. i hope you guys do too so please leave ur opinions in a review.Also i was wondering if you want me to put in a lemon scene. I wasnt planning on it because there could be some kids reading this and i dont want to ruin their innocence! please leave a yes or no in a review! Btw my birthday is july 29th and i will be going on a cruise so this might be my last post for a while. Sorry!

Hinata awoke the next day in a state of ecstasy. Her dreams had been filled with Naruto, rings, weddings, and growing old with the man she loved.She held up her hand to stare at the ring Naruto had given her. It sparkled int the sunlight and Hinata sighed happily. She giggled and stroked the lavender gem softly.

She got out of bed in a blissful daze. She showered and got dressed without taking her eyes off of the ring. She, then sat back down on her bed. She reached under her pillow and pulled out the jacket Naruto had left behind three years ago.

She smiled and hugged the jacket close to her chest. She nuzzled it against her cheek and blushed slightly. The thing was becoming worn from all of Hinata's hugs.

Her thoughts flowed back to all the things Naruto had said before he left. How he had needed her and how important she was to him. She reached into one of the jacket's pockets and pulled out a letter.

It was the letter Naruto had sent to her while he was training. She had read it almost every single day since she got it. It filled her with happiness and courage everytime she read it. And today Hinata would need extra courage.

Today Hinata planned to tell Naruto exactly how she felt.

Meanwhile, Ino was just getting up. She burst out of bed, completly naked, and stood in front of her mirror. She frowned and put on the same swimsuit she had worn at the lake party.

_I know I'm attractive!_ Ino said as she thrust out her chest. She turned around and analyzed her butt. _This swimsuit shows off every aspect of my incredible figure!_ She stamped her foot in frustration and took off her swimsuit. _Why didn't Naruto notice me?_

Ino turned sideways and gazed into the mirror once again. _How could he not notice this? How could he not want me all to himself? I guess I just have to try harder!_

She began to get dressed, but not in her usual attire. First she slipped on a yellow pair of lace panties and a purple mini-skirt. Then, without putting on a bra, she put on a tight, purple tank-top. If this doens't get Naurto's attention, nothing will.

She, then, tied her hair into twin pig-tails giving her the appearance of a rather risque schoolgirl. She took one last look in the mirror, giggled, and headed out in search of Naruto.

However, said person was still asleep . Naruto had been up for almost the entire night, desperately trying to explain to his friends why he had a seal on his stomach. He had come up with the excuse that Jiraya had placed a "gravity seal" on him to make his body heavier for training. His friends seemed to believe him and stopped asking questions.

However, it was well past breakfast and Naruto's stomach wasnt fond of skipping meals.It grumbled louding causing Naruto to awake in hunger. "Alright! Time for some Ichriku Ramen!"

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto was sitting at Ichriku's with a steaming bowl of ramen in front of his face. Naruto slurped it down with amazing speed. He was already on his third bowl when Ino showed up.

"Hey, Naruto!"

"umf... h-hey Ino" Naruto said with his mouth full.

Ino giggled. "Naruto! You have ramen all over your face!"

Ino reached over and pulled a stray strand of ramen off Naruto's face and put it in her own mouth. Naruto blushed heavily and pretended not to notice.

Ino sat next to him and ordered a diet ramen, while Naruto tried not to stare at her bare thighs. _Ino looks really pretty... _Naruto shook the thought out of his head and focused his attention on his ramen.

Meanwhile, Hinata had begun to approach the ramen stand when she had seen the familar orange jumpsuit of her crush. She darted behind an ajacent booth and activated her byuakugan.

Hinata's blood began to boil as she saw Naruto sitting next to Ino eating ramen with her. How dare he? After all Hinata had done for him? After all the love she had given him, he had the nerve to go out with that slut!

Hinata felt like crying, but strangely an unfamilar emotion overcame her. Anger and envy filled Hinata's mind. She wasn't going to lose to Ino! She would do whatever it took to win Naruto back.

She rushed into the stand and sat next to Naruto. Seeing her, Naruto smiled brightly. "Hey, Hinata!"

"Hmph!" Ino snorted, clearly frustrated at Naruto's happiness in her arrival.

Hinata ignored them both and ordered a miso ramen. Hinata glanced over and made eye contact with Ino. Ino glared back and sparks flew. _Oh, its so on, Hinata!_ Ino smirked to herself.

"Oops! I dropped my chopsticks! How clumsy of me." Ino smiled at Hinata before bending down to pick them up. As she bent over, her skirt rose up her hips, giving Naruto a full view of her yellow panties.

Naruto choked on his ramen, blushed deeply, and tried not stare at her behind.

However, Hinata was furious. This was war and Hinata wasn't planning on losing. She reached out and "accidently" knocked over her glass of water, spilling it all over Naruto's lap.

"Oh my god! I'm so so sorry!" Hinata quickly reached over and began to pat down Naruto's pants, attempting to dry them off. Meanwhile, Naruto's blush grew deeper and deeper as Hinata's hands drew dangerously close to his privates.

Suddenly, Hinata gathered her couarge and bent over and started to blow dry Naruto's lap. She then looked at Ino and smirked.

Ino glared back at her. _So that's how you want it? Well, two can play at that game!_

"Naruto! You have to try some of this diet ramen!" Ino said as she plucked out a piece of beef from her bowl and held it up to Naruto's mouth.

Then, Ino dropped it and it fell onto Naruto's lap.

"Oh, my bad! Don't worry, I'll get it!" Ino smirked at Hinata as she bent down and sucked the piece of beef of Naruto's lap.

Unfortuneatly, the owner choose this moment to walk in from the back room to check on his customers.

"Naruto! Oh my..." The old man trailed off as he noticed both girls' heads under the counter, hovering over Naruto's lap and the vacant expression on Naruto's face.

"N-Naruto! What are you doing to those girls!"

Naruto suddenly lost his voice and began to feel faint. "N-No... It's... I-It's ...not..."

"Two girls at once is bad enough, but you have the nerve to do that right in my shop! I should report you to the Hokage!"

Suddenly, Hinata and Ino's heads popped back into view.

"No! Wait, mister!" Ino shouted. "We just spilled some water and were trying to clean it up! Right, Hinata?"

"Y-Yes... It was an accident..."

The old man looked over at the overturned water glass. " I suppose you're right. I'm sorry I overreacted. How about a free bowl of ramen as compensation?"

These words broke Naruto out of his trance. "You rule, old man!"

The owner smiled. "Well, I have some more deliviries to take care off. Ayame! Please take care of the shop while I'm gone!"

"Ok!" Ayame shouted from the back room.

"Here, Naruto. Let me wipe your mouth." Ino said and began to gently wipe Naruto's mouth with her napkin.

"No! Let me! Naruto's more familar with me anyway!" Hinata protested.

"He likes me better!" Ino shouted.

Naruto's opinion was soon forgotten as the two girls began furiously grinding Naruto's facw with their napkins.

Naruto knew he should never turn down such kindness, but he wasnt sure if his face could survive this kind of torment any longer. "Stop! I can do it myself!" Naruto shouted as he pushed the two girls' hands away.

Naruto gingerly touched his tender cheeks. They were glowing red from all the friction.

"Oooooh! Naruto's blushing! All we did was touch your face! You're so innocent!" Ino giggled.

Now, Naruto really began to blush. "N-No! I-I'm not blushing!"

"Yes you are! Look!" Ino said as she touched her cheek to his. "Your face is burning hot!"

_Damn you, Ino! You are just using that as an excuse to touch his face!_ Hinata screamed in her head.

"Let me see!" Hinata said and put her cheek on Naruto's. "Hmmm... Kinda reminds me of when we spent the entire night together looking at the stars and you carried me all the way home on your back." Hinata sent Ino an insulting smirk.

Ino was overcome with jealously and rage. Hinata would pay for that!

"And I absolutely love the ring you gave me!"

What ring? Ino thought furiously. Her gaze drifted down to Hinata's left hand. She gasped when she saw the sparkling lavender ring on her engagment finger. _Did Naruto propose? No... Hinata probally put the ring on that finger on purpose. I will not lose to her like this!_

"Oh Naruto..." Ino whimpered and climbed onto Naruto's lap. "My heart is pounding... Can you feel it?" Ino grabbed Naruto's hand and held it firmly to her chest.

Hinata fumed. How dare she take advantage of him! She is practicly forcing herself on him!

Naruto suddenly realized that that Ino wasn't wearing a bra. At this point, Naruto would have made a zombie jealous.

Ayame suddenly came into the stand. She frozed as she saw Ino sitting in Naruto's lap with his hand on her chest. "Um... What's going on here?"

Both girls gasped as they realized they had been caught red-handed. Ayame wasn't as old as her father. She knew foreplay when she saw it. "I think you three should leave..." Ayame said softly.

"Yeah. Lets go somewhere more _private_." Ino cooed at Naruto.

The threesome left the stand and stood outside. However, a new problem suddenly arose.

"Um... my house is that way." Hinata said as she pointed her finger.

"Well, my house is that way." Ino said as she pointed her finger in the opposite direction. Ino smiled. "Well, Naruto. You have to walk a girl home after a date!"

"But which one..." Hinata said quietly.

"If you come with me, we could have all sorts of fun! My parents are on a mission and there is this beautiful purple flower back home that needs to be _deflowered_." Ino giggled.

_Crap. I really don't know what to do..._ Naruto thought._ I want to walk Hinata home, but I don't think her dad will be very happy if he sees me with her. Maybe I should just go with Ino..._

"Ino-" Naruto was cut off by a loud voice.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled as she ran up to him. "The Hokage has summoned you to her office."

Naruto sighed with relief. He would have to remember to thank Tsunade.

"Oh. And Hinata and Ino, you have also been summoned."

"Great! We can all walk together!" Ino shouted and looped her arm though Naruto's. Naruto sighed again, so much for thanking Tsunade.

"I wonder why she summoned all of us..." Hinata said curiously.

Ten minutes later, Naruto, Hinata and Ino were all standing in front of Tsunade's desk.

"I have called you three here for a mission. This mission is top secret and is B-ranked. We gathered some information that Orochimaru was seen in a village several miles from here. You three will go there and scout for infomation. This is strictly a info gathering mission. No combat is allowed! I mean you, Naruto! You three are the ones best suited for this mission."

Shizune sighed. _Those three are the only ninja availible. Why does she have to lie so much..._

"Don't worry, Grandma! We are on it!"

Tsuande twiched angerly. "I thought i told you to..." Tsunade furiously grabbed Naruto and threw him out of her window. "... stop call me GRANDMA!!"

Hinata and Ino took this as a good sign that is was time to leave. They raced out of the building and gathered the sizzling remains of their crush.

"That Naruto... I swear he will be the death of me..." Tsunade said in frustration.

"Hey now, I'm sure that an old bat like you can manage a pesky teenager." Jiraya said as he jumped though the open window.

"He sure is growing up fast..." Kakashi said from the roof just outside the window. "He is almost like the son I never had."

Tsunade sighed. "More like a grandson to me..."

Jiraya laughed. " I guess after all this time, Naruto finally has a family."

Meanwhile, Naruto, Ino and Hinata had already packed their equipment and had met up at the village's front gate.

"You ready?" Naruto asked.

"Y-Yes."

"You bet"

_This mission is my best chance! I just have to get him alone!_ The two girls thought similtaneously.

This was going to be a mission to remember.

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I hope you guys like the changes i made to Hinata's attitude. I tried to make her react with more emotion. She is 16! please leave ur thoughts in a review! and remember to vote on a lemon scene!


	18. Wolves

Hey guys

Hey guys! I know it's been a while. Ok a LONG while since I have posted but school just started for me and it's taken a while for me to get situated. Btw congrats to the thereviewer as you were my 300th reviewer. Please leave an idea for Naruto and Hinata's first date. IF it's good I will put it in the story. And personally I don't really like my title if anyone has a better title for my story I would greatly appreciate it. And please send me a Pm with ur favorite NaruHina story so I can add it to the c2. Oh and also I have notice some complaints about my grammar. So if anyone is a beta reader and would like to earn some brownie points, please tell me. And Kazengetsu I would be cool with u doing it but I need your email or something so I can reply. And now on to another great chapter!

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'Let's go!" Naruto shouted happily as he marched out of Konoha. This was his first mission in weeks. Nothing was going to ruin his spirits.

"Where are we going again?" Ino asked for the third time.

Hinata sighed. "To a small village only a day's walk from here." Hinata reached into her pack and began to pull out a large, folded map.

Naruto eyed the map as his sense of bravado kicked in. "I'll do it!" Naruto said as he grabbed the map from Hinata.

"Alright! Follow me!" he yelled trying to take charge of the group.

Hinata and Ino glanced at each other as they tried to hold back a fit of laughter. They waited until Naruto was out of earshot.

"Look at him trying to be the leader. He's so cute." Ino giggled. "Hey Hinata… What makes you like him so much?"

Hinata blushed, however, she had asked herself that same question hundreds of times before. The answer was always the same.

"He is the strongest person I know. No matter how many times he gets knocked down, he always gets up. He never gives up. He is extremely courageous."

"And he is soooo hot!" Ino said with a dreamy look in her eyes. "And with his shadow clone he could do so many things……. So many _things…._" Ino mumbled as she began to drool a little.

"H-He is very c-cute." Hinata stuttered.

"I wonder if he has a six pack…?" Ino asked in a fantasy induced trance

Hinata's face exploded in crimson. "H-He …D-Does."

Ino snapped out of her trance. "What?! How do you know?"

'W-Well…. I… uh...I-I"

"OMG! You looked at him with your byuakugan!"

"No I didn't! I just saw him training shirtless once! _….and pantless_" Hinata mumbled under her breathe.

"So you have never since him naked?"

"No!" Hinata shook her head vigorously.

Naruto suddenly sneezed loudly.

"So you don't know if he is hung?" Ino said lowering her voice.

"Hung?"

"If he has a big…" Ino made a rather risqué hand movement and Hinata's face flushed yet again.

"No! I haven't seen that!" Hinata whispered as loud as she could. Although she couldn't help but wonder a little too.

"Well with the amount of chakra he has I'd bet he has a HUGE-"

"INO!" Hinata interrupted loudly.

Ino laughed. "Sorry, girl. I can't help myself."

_Pervert!_ Hinata said to herself

_Damn!_ Ino thought. _I'd better stop thinking about Naruto like that! Any longer and I'm going to start walking funny._

"So Hinata… What is it like living as a Hyuuga?" Ino asked trying to change the subject.

The two girls continued to talk for what seemed like hours. Then what seemed like hours eventually turned into hours. The sun had already begun to set.

"Um… Naruto? Shouldn't we be there by now?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"I don't get it! This map doesn't make any sense!"

"Naruto! You're holding the map upside-down!" Ino shouted furiously.

"Oops…" Naruto smiled sheepishly.

Hinata was caught between wanting to laugh at Naruto's cuteness and wanting to scream as they were now probably miles away from any kind of village and they only brought a day's worth of food.

"We might as well set up camp for tonight." Hinata said trying to stay positive.

"Um…. About that…" Ino said as a blush crept along her cheeks. "We only have one emergency tent. We were supposed to bed at the village."

Hinata deadpanned as she realized what that meant. Tonight, she would be sharing a tent with Naruto. And not the large tent they had shared before, but a very small emergency tent. They would almost be sleeping in the same sleeping bag.

"We need to hurry. It will be dark in a matter of minutes."

The three quickly worked to set up camp in the limited amount of light they had. They soon had a roaring fire and the tent was set up with Ino snoring inside of it. She had complained about beauty sleep and had gone to bed early, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone at the campfire.

"Hinata? Look… I'm really sorry for getting us lost."

"Don't worry. I'm not mad at all. It's almost like we are camping." Hinata said happily.

Naruto smiled warmly. "Thanks, Hinata."

Hinata smiled back. Then as Naruto looked back towards the fire, Hinata tried to discreetly scoot closer to him.

Suddenly, Naruto placed his hands beside him so he could lay back. However, instead of his hands hitting the ground they hit a warm, soft surface.

He looked down and saw his hand on top on Hinata's. He looked back up and smiled at Hinata. Lucky for Hinata the crimson firelight had protected Naruto from seeing her tremendous blush.

Hinata struggled to keep her hand under Naruto's but her shyness was too great. She pulled her hand back and stared at the ground. Hinata silently cursed her shyness.

A loud howl abruptly broke the silence and Naruto jumped out of his skin. He quickly pulled Hinata close to him and buried his face in her chest.

Hinata was taken back by his sudden reaction and was about to scream. However, the scream died in her throat as she felt Naruto shaking in fear.

_He is afraid? Of wolves?_

"Naruto? A-Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm so sorry! I don't know what I was thinking!" Naruto scrambled away from Hinata.

Hinata crawled towards Naruto out of concern. "Naruto? Are you afraid of wolves?"

"What? Me?" Naruto forced himself to laugh. "O-Of course not! I'm not afraid of anything!"

Hinata gave him a stern look that told him she knew he was lying.

Naruto sighed. "Yes."

"Why?"

Naruto reached up slowly and stroked the scars on his cheeks.

Flashback

_Naruto was four years old and he hadn't eaten in a week. The rain poured on him as he searched though a trashcan on the outskirts of the village. Desperate to find food, he had not even noticed the small cubs hidden behind the can. _

_Suddenly, he heard a loud growling sound. Fear gripped his heart as two claws reached around his face and pulled him from the trashcan. _

_Naruto screamed as the claws dug into the sides of his cheeks. He was thrown to the ground, blood flowing down his face. _

_Two large wolves circled him, bearing their fangs. Little Naruto was terrified and he began to lose consciousness from the loss of blood._

_The last thing he could remember was hearing a rasp voice calling out. "We need a doctor! Now!_

"_Yes-sir, Hokage!"_

End flashback

"It's a long story, Hinata." Naruto said as he traced his scars with his fingers.

"Oh... Ok." Hinata said sadly. She wished he would tell her. She wanted to know everything about him.

"Well… I guess I can tell you. Just promise you won't tell anyone."

"I promise." Hinata was elated. He trusted her enough to tell her about his childhood. This was a wondrous moment for Hinata.

Naruto took a deep breath. "When I was four I was attacked by some stray wolves that snuck into the village. The third Hokage found me bleeding in the middle of the night and carried me to a hospital. That's how I got these scars."

Hinata was flabbergasted. "S-So that's why you're afraid of wolves?"

"Pretty much. Kinda cowardly, huh?

"No! Having a fear doesn't make you a coward! It makes you human!"

"But I'm supposed to be a ninja! Ninja's don't have fear!"

"Ninja's are supposed to face their fears. That doesn't they can't have them." _Ninja's also aren't supposed to love. _Hinata sighed sadly.

Suddenly, Naruto pulled Hinata into a hug. "Thanks, Hinata. You are always there for me."

Hinata wanted to hug him back, but her arms wouldn't move.

"I guess we should get some sleep." Naruto said, standing up. He doused the fire and headed into the tent.

Hinata took a deep breath and followed him.

By the time Hinata had laid down, Naruto was already snoring. Hinata giggled to herself and laid next to him. She was surprises at the amount of heat radiating of him. She figured that she wouldn't need a blanket so she just snuggled closer to her love.

Naruto was the first one up the next morning. Yawning, he sat up and stretched his arms. He folded his animal hat and set it upon his bed. Then he stood up and walked outside.

His stomached growled loudly and he figured that the sooner they left the sooner he would be able to eat. He quickly gathered all their things and cleaned up the camp.

Meanwhile, both Hinata and Ino began to arouse from their sleep. They both noticed Naruto's vacant spot and rushed outside. They were relieved to see him standing outside waiting for them.

"I'm hungry! Let's go find some food!"

The girls giggled and suddenly turned into chicken drumsticks.

"What the?" Naruto panicked as he watched the two laughing fish.

Suddenly, Naruto sat up in his bed.

"Just a dream…" Naruto sighed. His stomach growled loudly. He needed food now! He poked his head out of the tent only to see that it was still dark.

_There has got to be some apples or something around here. _Naruto thought as he walked off in search of food.

Fifteen minutes later he was up in a tree straining to reach an apple. His fingers were only an inch away from the sweet fruit, but his balance was already starting to fail.

He reached further and wrapped his fingers around the apple and pulled. Unfortunately, the momentum of the pull carried his entire body to the ground.

Fear crawled up Naruto's spine as he heard a growl coming from behind. He turned around and saw a large wolf glaring at him. The wolf slashed at his head and Naruto barely managed to duck. However his black animal cap was torn to shreds. He screamed, dropped his apple and took off running.

He didn't stop running until his legs felt like jelly. Then he walked until he couldn't barely stand. There was a loud crack of thunder and rain poured down on Naruto.

Fortunately, Naruto could make out a small cave in the distance. He staggered towards it, desperate for some shelter. Thankfully there were no wolves in it.

Naruto curled up in the corner and tried to fall asleep, but to no avail. He was too terrified to close his eyes.

The next morning, Hinata woke up smiling. She had fallen sleep near Naruto and so she awoke already in heaven.

However, when she opened her eyes, he was nowhere to be seen. His animal hat was also gone. Hinata knew he always folded it up when left. Something must of happened to him! Hinata rushed outside only to see a empty campground.

She activated her byuakugan and desperately searched for Naruto. However, She saw no trace of him. The rain had destroyed all of his footprints.

Hinata sank to her knees. "He's gone."

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Whoa another cliffhanger! Who would have guessed? Well I should post again in about 2 weeks or so. please leave me some opinions on the wolf thing. i was unsure on it but i think its a good addition and it explains the marks on his face. and did you guys know that psychologically, wearing orange attracts hostility? remind you of anyone?

Next time: Ino and Hinata awake only to see that Naruto is missing. Can they work together to find him or will their jealously drive them apart?


	19. Found and Fond

**Hey guys! Ready for a new chapter? Well I wasn't. I had to stay up all night to write this. Anyways im still looking for an alternative name for this fanfic so if you have any ideas please share. Also my hotmail account ryanretard at hotmail .com is **** if you wanna share your opinion with me or wanna know some upcoming event. Im still looking for a beta reader so if you're interested send me a message. Please enjoy the new chapter!**

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Life is full of surprises.

Hinata found this out when she awoke to find that Naruto was nowhere in sight.

"He's gone…" Hinata sank to her knees as tears filled her eyes.

Naruto was gone and there was nothing Hinata could do about it. Hinata shook the tears out of eyes. _No! I'm not going to cry anymore. I'm going to find him! _Hinata thought with a determination she didn't know she had.

She rushed into the tent and shook Ino.

"Ino, wake up! Naruto's missing!"

"N-Naruto….. no… don't touch me there… Ino moaned in her sleep. "We… we should wait…"

Hinata shook Ino harder. "Wake up!"

"Wha-? Hinata? What are you doing?" Ino mumbled.

"Naruto's gone!" Hinata yelled frantically.

"Gone?! What do you mean 'gone'? He can't be gone!" Ino said, too sleepy to understand the situation.

"He's missing! When I woke up he wasn't here!"

That woke Ino up. "What! Where did he go?"

"I don't know… I'm about to go looking for him."

"Hold on. Let me get dressed."

After Ino was dressed and they gathered their supplies, they were off into the forest in search of Naruto. Hinata had activated her Byuakugan and was desperately trying to locate a source of body heat.

Meanwhile, Naruto was still bunkered down in his cave. He hadn't gotten any sleep and was having a great deal of trouble trying to keep his eyelids up.

He hadn't eaten dinner or breakfast and didn't have the energy to get up. He had laid awake all night, hoping that wolves couldn't smell fear.

Thankfully, no wolves had pain him a midnight visit.

He closed his eyes in pain and willed his body out of the cave and began to search for food. Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to find a tree filled with apples.

He checked all around the tree for wolves and when he was sure that there wasn't a wolf anywhere near it, he began to climb up the tree. He grabbed a few apples of a close branch and laid down on a thick branch to eat them.

After he stomach was filled with fresh apples, he closed his eyes and let sleep bind him.

However, Hinata and Ino were still looking for him throughout the forest.

"Hey! I'm picking up a trail!" Hinata shouted excitedly.

"Is it Naruto?"

"We are about to find out."

Ino and Hinata ran for another minute until they reached a large cave.

"I'm getting a faint sign of body heat in this cave. He must have slept here last night."

"Oh! Poor Naruto!" Ino said.

They entered the cave only to find the remains of a small fire. Hinata slumped over against the cold rock and let out a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"It was just a wild goose chase." Hinata mumbled.

"What? What do you mean? Naruto could have built this fire!" Ino argued.

"Even if he did he could be anywhere by now." Hinata frowned. They staggered out of the cave with low spirits. At this rate it could take all day to find Naruto.

"We should have just stayed at the camp. Then at least Naruto might have been able to find his way back." Hinata said, mentally kicking herself for being too hasty.

"NARUTO!!" Ino yelled out in frustration.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the tree above them. There was a second of silence and then a loud THUD!

Hinata and Ino jumped out of their skins. They slowly look behind them and gasped in astonishment.

Naruto was lying on the ground, fast asleep. Apparently he had just fallen out of the tree.

"He answers to his true love's calling!" Ino said happily.

Hinata ignored Ino's comment and focused on Naruto's health. There were a few cuts and bruised on his face and his clothes were ripped in several places. Also, he looked as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. There were massive bags under his eyes.

"Oh, Naruto. I'm so glad you are safe!" Hinata cried into his chest.

_What is that? _Naruto thought as he began to wake up. He tried to open his eyes but he could only manage to open them a small crack. The sun blinded his vision and as he tried to focus his sight on one object he noticed something amazing. A beautiful girl was holding onto him. The sun shined off her long hair and her eyes sparkled. One word escaped his lips before he fell back into a deep slumber.

"A-Angel…"

Hinata blushed deeply. Fortunately Naruto hardly even whispered the word so Hinata, who was much closer to Naruto, was the only one who heard what he said.

"Did he just say something," Ino asked

"N-No…" Hinata lied.

Hinata smiled inwardly. If it wasn't for Ino standing right next to her she probably would have jumped up and cheered. Naruto had called her an angel! Nothing could spoil this day.

"Come on, Hinata. Let's get him to the nearest village." Ino said

"Ok." Hinata said, wiping the tears out of her eyes.

They each wrapped one of Naruto's arms around them and stumbled towards their destination.

Naruto woke up much later, surrounded by warmth. He opened his eyes and tried to survey his surrounds. He soon realized that he was near the road where they had set up camp the previous night. Suddenly he noticed that there was a unfamiliar pressure on his chest.

He looked down and found out that the beautiful girl was still beside him. He focused his blurry vision and tried to make out the girl's face.

_Hinata?_ Naruto thought as he recognized the girl's hair. Hinata was fast asleep with her head placed on Naruto's chest. _What is this feeling? She is making my body feel hot…_

Naruto shook the thought out of his head and gently shook Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata. Time to wake up."

Hinata mumbled softly and wearily opened her eyes. When she realized how she was positioned she frantically jumped up and blushed a deep shade of red.

"I'm sorry. I-I was so tired that I guess I just fell asleep…" Hinata trailed off.

Naruto smiled. "Its fine. So… what happened to me? The last thing I remember was falling out of a tree."

"That's right. You fell out of the tree me and Ino were standing next to. You scared us pretty badly. You had cuts all over your body."

Suddenly, a thought pounded itself into Naruto's head. _Wait… Hinata was that girl. She looked like an angel… _

"Naruto? Are you okay? Your face is turning really red…"

A sense of motherly instinct took over Hinata and pushed her shyness aside. She moved close to Naruto and placed her forehead against his.

Naruto gulped as his face grew hot.

"Your forehead is burning! You must have a fever. I'll go get some medical herbs!" Hinata said as she rushed off into the forest.

Naruto took several deep breaths to try and calm his nerves. _What was she thinking? Putting her face so close to mine! My heart feels like its going to burst…_

Naruto pushed the image out of his mind and tried to stand up. There were several sharp stabs of pain in his legs and his body was sore all over. The fall of the tree had apparently done some damage.

He mentally blocked out the pain and stood up. He had to focus all of his energy just to walk outside. He noticed Ino was studying a huge fold-up map.

"Hey, Ino."

Ino looked up quickly. "Naruto! Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine."

Ino attempted to properly fold the map back up, but after a few minutes of unsuccessful attempts she crumpled it up and stuffed it into her pack.

"Stupid map." She grumbled. "So, Naruto… What happened yesterday?"

Naruto had begun to run out of energy and he didn't feel like explaining everything to Ino.

"I just went to pee and I got lost."

Ino laughed. "Real smooth, Naruto."

Suddenly, Naruto felt light-headed. His vision began to blur and he passed out.

He awoke several hours later. He struggled to sit up and rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"Naruto! You are injured! You can't just get up and walk around!" Hinata scolded.

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking straight."

"Well, I applied some herbs to your cuts, but you have some massive bruising so I would suggest you avoid running around for a while."

Naruto laughed. "Don't worry. This will be all gone by tomorrow morning. The fox-"

"SHH!" Hinata shushed. She held her finger to her lips and pointed towards Ino.

Naruto smiled at her and nodded his head. He was feeling pretty tired, and Hinata made him feel very relaxed so he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Hinata silently watched Naruto sleep. She reached over and gently moved Naruto's hair out of his face. She smiled warmly and left his side to build a fire. When Naruto woke up, he would be very hungry and Hinata knew how much he loved ramen.

When Hinata had finished making the ramen she took a steaming bowl into the tent. She wafted the delicious aroma towards Naruto and he jolted awake.

"Ramen?" Naruto asked still half asleep.

Hinata giggled. "Just for you."

Naruto cheered loudly. He sat up and graciously accepted the bowl from Hinata.

He dipped his chopsticks into the warm liquid and pulled out a long strand of noodles. He made a loud slurping noise and he quickly sucked the noodles up.

"Mmmmm. I forgot how good of a cook you are, Hinata. This is delicious!"

Hinata blushed deeply. Naruto's compliments always filled her with happiness.

"T-Thanks, Naruto."

In order to conceal her embarrassment she stood up and went to check on the fire. It was getting dark and the nearby forest was getting more and more eerie. The dark made the surrounding trees practically invisible. All together it looked like a black void.

Hinata shuddered and knelt down to place more kindling on the fire. She wished she could have lain down next to Naruto and have him comfort her fear.

Instead she was forced to stay outside in the cold all alone. Ino had gone to bed early once again and Naruto was still inside the tent with his injuries.

Suddenly there was a noise behind Hinata. She quickly spun around and saw Naruto walking up to her.

"Naruto? You're still injured. You should be in bed." Hinata said worriedly.

Naruto smiled warmly. "I know. But I couldn't stand the thought of you out here alone. So I came out to see if you wanted some company."

"How sweet." Hinata thought. Unfortunately, her mouth said it out loud.

Both Hinata and Naruto blushed. Naruto wandered over and sat next to Hinata. He laid back and stretched his arms. His body was still sore but it felt good to move around.

Naruto smiled as he noticed the starry sky above them. "It's a beautiful night."

Hinata looked up and sighed softly. "It really is."

Naruto laid his head in his hands and closed his eyes. "I love the stars."

This spiked Hinata's curiosity. "Why's that?"

Naruto opened his eyes again and gazed back at the stars. "I dunno. When I was a kid, I didn't have any friends and I would constantly be beaten up. But every night the stars would come out and I would just lie down and stare at them. They made me feel safe. Almost like someone was watching over me."

Hinata wiped a tear from her eye. She was so happy that Naruto told her something that so important to him. She felt like she was becoming a part of his life.

'But you know… Having someone to share them with is even better." Naruto said as he smiled at Hinata.

Hinata's heart fluttered in her chest and her face burned crimson. She felt as if she would pass out at any second.

A gust of clod wind blew by them and their fire threatened to go out. However, it went unnoticed. Naruto and Hinata curled close together to keep each other warm. They stayed like that until they fell asleep.

The stars twinkled brightly on the young couple as they slept peacefully. The wind almost seemed to be blowing them closer together. It seemed as if Mother Nature was trying to validate their relationship.

The duo slept soundly for several hours, but were soon rudely awakened by a swift kick in the back.

Naruto was thrown aside before he even had the chance to wake up. Ropes were placed around his wrists and ankles.

He began to wake up in a groggy state. When he tried to move his arms he realized that he was tied up. He frantically looked around to try and find the ones responsible.

He soon noticed he wasn't the only one tied up. Hinata and Ino were both tied up next to them, but they were unconscious. Naruto's stomach plummeted when he saw the blood on Hinata's face.

Suddenly he felt a presence behind him. There was a white flash of pain in his head and the world went black.

Life is full of surprises.

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**Yay! I love cliffhangers! I already know whats going to happen next and let me just say It's going to be awesome. Pain love and horror all in one chapter! Yay! Remember any questions or comments my hotmail is ryanretard at hotmail .com and i am trying Sunny Side Ramen for a new title please review with ur opinions should i keep it or change it back? Also i just created a new NaruHina forum please check it out. and remember: please review!**


	20. Tortured Feelings

**Hey guys! I'm proud to present a brand new chapter of my story. This is a real plot twister so make sure your read carefully. And as a warning to all the little kiddies out there this chapter is a little graphic and has some violence so if you are offended please leave a message and I will refer it to my trash bin. For the rest of you please enjoy the chapter!**

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Naruto awoke to a splitting pain in his head. He squinted his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. Naruto looked around, but everything was black. He couldn't see a thing.

Naruto waved his hand in front of his face. He still couldn't see a thing. Naruto began to panic. He frantically ran forward and ran straight into a wall.

The pain in his head was excruciating, but Naruto tried to ignore it as he felt his surroundings. He rubbed his hands against cold stone in all four directions. It seemed he was in some kind of brick room.

However, he was alone. Naruto felt around for Hinata or Ino, but he found neither. Fear washed over him like a tidal wave. Where was Hinata and was she hurt?

Naruto remember the last time he had seen her when she was on the ground, tied up. He shivered as he remembered the blood pouring down her face. If she was hurt in any way he would…

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and Naruto was blinded. Pain seared though his head once again, but with was a strange relief. At least he wasn't blind.

A man stepped though a door. His booming voice echoed though Naruto's head.

"This one is awake. Prepare him for treatment."

Then the man chuckled and Naruto was hit over the head with a blunt object. Naruto's head felt like it had been cracked open and he lost conscious.

When Naruto awoke he could feel blood dripping into his eyes. He tried to raise his arms to wipe it off, but his wouldn't move. He looked down only to see that he was strapped onto a wall.

He looked around the room. There were several mirrors around the room and a large table in front of him. Suddenly, the door slammed open and two men strode in.

On of the men was carrying a large briefcase and he set it up on the table in front of Naruto. The other man was carrying a large camera. He set it up so that it was facing Naruto and then turned it on.

"Well, hello there." The man with the briefcase said. "My name is Joe. And yours is Naruto, correct?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but his head was pounding so hard he couldn't form a sentence. So he just nodded.

"Good. Now you are probably wondering how I know that. Well, it's very simple. You are in my Bingo Book and you're worth quite a large sum of money."

The other man came over and grabbed Naruto by his hair and yanked his head up. "Yeah, and it says you are from Konoha. It just so happens that me and my friend are planning a "vacation" to Konoha and you are going to tell us how to get in."

Naruto glared at the man and shook his head.

The man laughed. "I thought you would resist. However, I have ways of making you talk."

The man walked over to the table and opened the briefcase. "Oh, I have _many_ ways."

Naruto gasped at the contents of the briefcase. There were large knives, needles, scissors, and other sharp objects. Fear flooded Naruto's mind.

The man began to place each item on the table, side by side. "Look here. These are for pulling your fingernails off…one…by…one. These are for removing organs like your kidneys or maybe an eye. These are for cutting your tendons or other body parts. These are ripping out your teeth. There's a blowtorch, some nails, a whip, and a bat."

The other man laughed. "Feel like talking now?"

Naruto knew about torture. Many ninjas from the village had suffered it before. Naruto knew it was unlikely he would survive, but he would never betray his friends.

Naruto took a deep breathe and gather enough energy for two words. "Bite me."

The man's smile disappeared. "Let's see how you feel after a week of this." The man picked up and large needled and shoved it into Naruto's stomach.

Naruto screamed out in pain. He never expected it to hurt this much. The pain was excruciating. It blinded his senses and his thoughts.

"Feels good don't it?" Joe cackled. He pulled a second needled and stabbed it though Naruto hand. Then he stabbed three more though his other hand and both thighs.

Naruto was overcome with pain. He had never felt such a terrible pain before, but he didn't break. The only thing coming out of his mouth was blood and screams.

"Quite admirable. There aren't many people out there who can survive this kind of pain." Joe said. He pulled out a small box and several wires. He clipped one wire to each of the metal needles stuck into Naruto.

Joe flipped a switch and a hundred volts of electricity into Naruto. Naruto's body shook as the electricity flowed through him

"Careful, now." The other man said to Joe. "His body is almost useless to us dead. Don't push him too far."

Joe grumbled. He seemed to be enjoying causing Naruto pain. But he pulled the needles out of Naruto and set everything back into the briefcase.

"Get a good night's rest up there. I'll see you tomorrow." Joe laughed and closed the door surrounding Naruto in darkness.

Naruto felt faint. His body was still filled with pain, but his mind couldn't take it and it shut down, sending Naruto into a deep slumber.

3 days later.

"Your body is amazing, Naruto." Joe said as he cut another finger off of Naruto. Naruto was screaming in pain, but Joe just talked over him.

"No matter what body parts I cut off or what organs I take out, everything just grows back. That Nine-Tails sure is amazing."

Naruto moaned in pain. He wished he was dead. Three days of torture had left him drained of all energy or conscious thought.

"However, what would it do if I took out all your organs and put them back in different spots? Would your heart still pump if I put it in your stomach?"

Naruto was barely conscious, but the man didn't let him fall asleep. He needed to be awake in order to feel the pain. Naruto felt like he had almost died several times before, but nothing came closer than how he felt after that day.

2 days later.

Naruto was lying down in an odd looking chair. His arms were tied above him and his legs were also tied.

"This is called The Rack Torture. It's my favorite so you can expect it once a day from now on. Try not to scream and just listen to what happens when I turn this wheel."

Naruto screamed out in pain as his arms and legs started to stretch away from each other. The machine was slowly ripping him apart. Suddenly a sickening crack filled the air and Naruto realized it was his arms being dislocated.

Naruto felt sick and threw up all over himself. However the machine kept pulling. Pain spiked thought Naruto's entire body as all of his recent wounds began to rip open.

"Mmmm. Don't you just love the sound of bones breaking and flesh ripping?" Joe smiled maliciously.

1 week later.

Naruto was in bad shape. He had been repeatedly beaten, burned, impaled, frozen, electrocuted, and whipped. Most of his bones and been broken several times and many body parts had been cut out or removed. However, every night they would grow back and the process would begin again.

Naruto's mind was suffering damage as well. He could hardly even remember his name. Pain was his only feeling or thought.

Joe entered the room, but he was not alone. Somebody was being dragged behind him.

"Hello Naruto! How are you doing today? I'm not doing so well myself. You see, it's been almost two weeks and you haven't told me one thing yet. Apparently, physical pain is not enough. So I brought one of your little girlfriends."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the girl's face. It was Hinata. She was tied up and her mouth was covered with duct tape. There was dried blood on her face, but she seemed to be unhurt.

"Y-You leave…. h-her alone." Naruto mumbled.

"Ah! I seem to have struck a nerve!" Joe laughed and threw Hinata in front of Naruto.

Naruto's eyes met Hinata's and he could see the tears in her eyes. Naruto's clothes were covered with holes and soaked in blood. There was blood sprayed across the walls and dripping onto the ground.

Naruto mustered up his strength and managed to smile at her. "I'm Ok."

Hinata smiled back and more tears filled her eyes.

"Aww… So cute." Joe said. He walked over and struck Hinata across the face. "Oh no! I hope I didn't spoil your moment!" Joe pretended to be sad before bursting out in an evil laugh.

Naruto glared at him furiously. "Don't touch her!"

"Excuse me? Did you just tell me what to do?" Joe walked over and plunged a knife though Naruto stomach. Hinata's scream could be heard through the duct tape.

Joe walked back towards Hinata and kicked her in the stomach. As she gasped for air, he picked her up and set her in the Rack Torture machine.

"Now if you don't talk, I'm going to rip your girlfriend's arms off."

Naruto screamed in rage. Anger filled his mind. It blanketed the pain and consumed Naruto. His eyes began to turn red.

"Uh oh! Am I making you angry?" Joe laughed. "Don't bother. Those bands are made with specially made chakra ropes. No human could ever break out of those."

Joe laughed as he slowly turned the crank. Hinata muffled screams only added fuel to Naruto's anger. His hands turned into claws and a red chakra began to flow out of him.

The other man suddenly began to panic. He ran over and attempted to tighten Naruto's bonds. However, as soon as he made contact with Naruto, the red chakra flowed onto him and his skin began to burn.

The man jumped back and screamed in pain. Naruto roared loudly and burst out of his bonds.

He jumped onto the man and tore him limb from limb. He then walked menacingly towards Joe. Two red tails began to form out of the red cloak around Naruto.

Joe backed away in fear. Having seen his partner ripped into pieces was more than enough to make him realize he was outmatched. He sank to his knees and began to beg.

"Please! Have mercy!" Joe ran over and freed Hinata from the chair. "Look! She's not hurt! Neither is the other girl! Please just let me go!"

Naruto growled and pounced onto Joe. He grabbed one of Joe's arms and pulled it off. Joe screamed in agony.

"Nothing like the sound of flesh being torn apart, right?"

Joe's eyes widened in fear and he opened his mouth to scream. However, the scream never made it out of his throat as Naruto had just ripped it out.

Joe made several gurgling noises as blood seeped into his mouth. Then he laid still, the look of fear still etched into his face.

Naruto jumped off the mutilated body and roared loudly. He dug his claws into Joe's remains and tore them apart.

Hinata rushed over to Naruto and wrapped her arms around him. The chakra burned her as well, but it quickly began to disappear. Naruto's anger started to evaporate and he began to weep into Hinata's arms.

She held him close, not caring that his blood was dripping onto her lap. They sat there for several minutes before Naruto wiped his eyes and stood up.

"Come on! We need to go and get Ino!" Naruto shouted.

Hinata smiled. This is why she loved him. He was so strong and determined yet he had a sensitive side and had cried after killing someone. She got up and followed after him.

They walked past several bloody torture devices until they came to a large prison cell. Naruto twisted a small knob on the handle and the mechanical lock snapped open. They walked inside to see Ino lying on the ground. She seemed unhurt and was squirming quite furiously.

"Let me out, you dirtbag!" Ino screamed.

Naruto walked over and pulled the blindfold off her eyes and untied the ropes binding her arms.

"Naruto…? What happened? Where are those two men? Oh my god! Why are you covered in blood?" Ino asked in one breath.

"It's a long story. Can you walk?" Naruto replied, offering his shoulder as support.

"Yeah, I'm ok." Ino said, but didn't pass up the opportunity to hang on to Naruto's arm. Hinata felt a twinge of jealousy, but she shook it out of her head.

The trio steadily walked throughout the complex until they found the exit. They rushed out into the brightening sunlight and took a deep breath, inhaling as much fresh air as they could. After all they had been in a locked room for the past two weeks.

They locked around, trying to survey their surroundings. Unfortunately, it seemed they were in unfamiliar territory. There was no telling which way would take them to their village and which way would get them even more lost.

Naruto saw the hesitation on Hinata's and Ino's faces and he knew he had to console them. He turned towards them with a big smile on his face.

"Don't worry! I know this area like the back of my hand! Just follow me." Naruto said and marched off in a random direction.

Hinata and Ino shared a glance that seemed to say _is he serious?_ Nonetheless, they followed after him. Taking a risk was better than doing nothing.

They followed after him for hours. The sun started to disappear behind the surrounding mountains and the sky turned a vibrant shade of red.

"Naruto… I can't walk any further. I have no more energy." Ino complained.

Naruto shook his head. "We need to keep going. We need to try and find shelter for the night."

Surprisingly, Hinata spoke up. "Actually, I'm really tired too. Can we rest here for the night?"

Naruto stopped walking and looked back at Hinata. He sighed deeply. "Ok. I guess it can't hurt."

He found the softest patch of dirt and laid down. He then took off his shirt and examined his wounds.

Both Hinata and Ino gasped when they saw the excessive burn marks, holes, stab wounds, and whip lashes all across his torso.

"Oh my god, Naruto. What did they do to you?" Ino asked, horrified.

Naruto shrugged as if nothing had happened. "They wanted me to give them information on Konoha and I refused."

"T-They t-t-tortured you?" Hinata whispered. She was trembling so bad she couldn't speak without stuttering.

Naruto's bravado disappeared as he remembers the terrible pain he had gone through. His voice trembled and broke as he started to speak.

"T-They would do horrible things to me. They would remove my organs and put them back in the wrong places. They would break every bone in my body and light me on fire. Sometimes they would torture me for days without stopping."

Naruto looked up and into their stunned faces. They faces were frozen in fear and tears had started to form in their eyes. Naruto realized he had said too much.

Naruto put on a false smile. "At least they didn't hurt you two."

A mixture of guilt, sorrow, anger, sympathy, and sadness overcame Ino and Hinata and they both crushed Naruto in a bone-breaking hug.

"Ugh! C-Can't….b-breathe" Naruto choked. But the two girls didn't let go.

"Naruto, I'm so sorry! It must have been terrible!" Ino yelled between tears. Hinata sat up and wiped her eyes. "I'm going to find some herbs to rub into the wounds." Hinata said.

Hinata stood up and walked into forest with Ino trailing behind her.

Ten minutes later, it hit Hinata. She had just hugged Naruto…and he was shirtless! Hinata began to feel woozy.

"H-Hey, Ino. N-Naruto… h-h was shirtless…." Hinata stammered as her face flushed red.

Ino giggled and her face turned red as well. "I know! He is sooo hot! Did you see that six-pack?"

Hinata giggled with Ino and thought back to when she had first seen him training shirtless. He certainly had been working out.

Hinata shook the image out of her mind and mentally stored it for future memory. She focused on finding the herbs to heal Naruto.

Meanwhile, Naruto had built a fire. He began to choke as the black smoke rose into the sky. He still wasn't used to being outside. After all, he had been locked in the same room for two weeks.

His eyes began to droop and he realized just how exhausted he was. He closed his eyes and let sleep find him.

When Hinata and Ino returned to the camp, they discovered Naruto fast asleep. They shared a glance and burst out in a fit of giggling. Hinata set the herbs on a nearby rock. She would put them on Naruto when he woke up.

Ino, however, boldly walked up to Naruto and lay down beside him. Hinata shrugged and joined her, sitting on the opposite side of Naruto.

"So, Hinata… Do you love him?"

Hinata suddenly began to violently cough. Her face was as red as a cherry. "W-What?"

"I said, Do you love him?" Ino asked again.

"Um… w-well… I ….uh…." Hinata looked down at her feet. "Yes." Hinata whispered quietly.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Ino said as she strained closer to Hinata.

Hinata suddenly burst. "Yes! I love him!" she shouted rather loudly. Naruto stirred in his sleep, but did not awake.

Ino stared at her. "Really? Since when?"

Hinata smiled. "For as long as I can remember."

"Wow..." Ino whispered as her gaze drifted towards Naruto. "I really like him, but I don't think I'm in love with him…"

Hinata sighed inwardly. "What about Shikamaru or Chouji?"

"Well… Shikamaru is too lazy for my tastes and Chouji…" Ino trailed off and her face grew hot. "NO! He is not my type. He is not skinny enough!"

Hinata frowned. "Now that's not fair. Chouji is a nice guy. And besides, I'd bet he wouldn't care about your weight. Why should you care about his?"

Ino sighed thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right…"

Meanwhile, Naruto was in a deep slumber. However, his mind could still hear everything the girls where saying.

Naruto was in a dark room. There were no walls. Not even a floor. Naruto looked around confused. "Where am I"

Suddenly, the kyubbi appeared in front of him. It let out a monstrous roar and charged towards Naruto.

Naruto ran away as fast as he could. He ran and ran until the kyubbi's image was gone. When he was sure he wasn't being chased anymore, he sat down to take a breather.

But the world around him shifted and suddenly Hinata was standing in front of him. "Naruto… I love you…"

Hinata leaned in close and Naruto lost control of his body. He began to lean closer to her, their lips only inches apart. No matter how hard he resisted, Naruto's body won't listen.

All of a sudden, there was a quick sensation of pain across his face, and the world began to fade away. Naruto woke up to find another strange man sitting in front of him. Naruto looked around and was relieved to see Ino and Hinata sitting next to him with smiles on their faces.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked sleepily.

The strange man spoke up. "I'm a traveling merchant. I saw black smoke from a nearby road so I quickly ran over here. I'm glad I did, too. Your friends tell me that you are injured."

Naruto sat up. "Nope. I'm okay now. Hey mister, can you tell us how to get to Konoha?"

The man smiled. "Sure. It's only a few miles south of here. Just follow that road over there." The man pointed to a nearby road that was discreetly hidden by a small groove of trees.

Happiness flooded over Naruto. They were only a few hours away from home. Naruto stood up and offered his hand to the stranger.

"Thanks, mister."

The man shook Naruto's hand and smiled. "It's not a problem."

"Come on! Let's go home!" Naruto called to the girls as he walked off toward the road.

Hours later, Naruto, Hinata and Ino were just outside the village gates. They all cheered loudly.

"We are finally home!" Naruto yelled loudly. Hinata and Ino smiled with him as they ran into their village.

"Woohoo! Time for some Ichiraku ramen!" Naruto shouted happily.

"Naruto… We should go talk to Tsunade first. We have been missing for weeks." Hinata said, stopping Naruto in his tracks.

"Damn. I guess you're right." Naruto sagged sadly and followed Hinata to the Hokage's office.

Naruto burst into Tsunade's room with a loud, "Hello, Grandma!"

Naruto was surprised to see Kakashi and Jiriya standing next to Tsunade. "Naruto? Is that you? Quick Kakashi, grab him!"

Naruto yelped in surprise as he was lifted up and onto Kakashi's shoulder. "Where are you taking me?" Naruto shouted angrily.

"To the hospital." Kakashi said and then he and Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke.

When Naruto opened his eyes, he was in a soft bed. He looked up and saw Kakashi standing beside him.

Kakashi closed his eyes and spoke softly. "Naruto, We all know what you have been through. The two men sent us a recording of them torturing you. They said we had to give them a huge ransom if we wanted you back. I'm really sorry, Naruto. The village is already in debt and we couldn't afford the ransom."

Naruto smiled. "It's all good. I'm alive aren't I?"

Kakashi shook his head. "That's not it. I saw some of the things they were doing to you. I haven't had a full night's sleep since. And you didn't tell them one thing. I really am proud of you."

Naruto smiled warmly. "I'm going to be Hokage after all!"

Kakashi opened his eye and for a spilt second Naruto thought he saw tears in his eye. "I'm just glad I don't have to add your name to the stone memorial."

Kakashi gave Naruto a pat on the shoulder and walked out of the room.

Tsunade, Iruka, Jiriya, and several other people came in that day to give their respects to Naruto. However, the one person that Naruto wanted to see never did. Hinata had not shown up at all.

Sakura had come in several times to check up on him. She didn't know what he had gone through. The tape had only been shown to a select few jonin and Iruka.

She came into Naruto's room with a bottle full of pills. "Here, Naruto. There are special painkillers. Take one every day for the next two weeks."

"Sakura! I feel fine!" Naruto complained. "Let me out of this stupid place."

Sakura shook her head. "No way. You will be here for at least a week." Sakura gave Naruto the pills and walked out the door.

The next day

Naruto was walking down the street on his way to buy some ramen, when he saw a familiar face.

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto called up as he ran up to her.

"H-Hi, Naruto." Hinata said quietly.

"Can you come to the ramen stand with me? I want to talk to you about something."

Hinata timidly looked around before answering. "S-Sure."

Naruto smiled warmly. "Great."

The two walked together all the way to Ichiraku's in silence. Hinata had been looking over her shoulder the entire time.

"Hey, Hinata. What are you looking at."

Hinata blushed at having been caught, but she felt Naruto deserved an explanation. "Well… My father was really upset when I came home yesterday. He feels I was captured because I was hanging around with you and he… kinda said I'm not allowed to see you anymore…"

Naruto's jaw hit the ground. "B-But when will I see you again?"

Hinata's eyes filled with tears. " I don't know."

Hinata then turned to leave, but Naruto grabbed her arm. An image of his dream flashed before his eyes. He suddenly saw himself kissing the purple-haired girl.

Naruto shook the image out of his mind. "Just listen. Please."

Hinata sniffed loudly. "O-Ok."

Naruto took a deep breath. "When we were captured, I was so afraid. I honestly thought I was going to die. I thought constantly about killing myself just to end the pain. However, there was one thought that kept me strong. I kept thinking about it and it kept me alive. It was you, Hinata. I kept thinking to myself that if I survived this, then I would be able to see you again."

Hinata gasped. "W-What are you saying?"

Naruto lowered his eyes. "I'm not sure. But you have been on my mind a lot recently. I think I might like you. I think I really like you. And I don't want to say good-bye to you. Not ever."

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**EPIC CLIFFHANGER!! Mwahahahahahah!! Man! That was a great chapter! It was my longest chapter ever! Woohoo! Go me! Please leave some reviews with your thoughts and opinions.**


	21. Naruchan the fox

**Hey guys! Hope u all enjoyed the last chapter! It was a little mature but I think it really pushed the plot forward. I know how much you guys have been waiting for this chapter and im sorry for taking so long to post, but I have been working on another Naruhina story. Don't worry, I wont stop this one and this one will also take priority before my new one. However, I decided to create a situation in which Hinata is thrust upon Naruto. I haven't posted the first chapter yet, but it should come soon. Maybe as a Christmas special…. and now on with the new chapter.**

**Disclaimer: (yes I know. im bringing them back) Stupid disclaimer! Its as useful as a helicopter ejector seat or a water proof towel!**

Naruto took a deep breath. "When we were captured, I was so afraid. I honestly thought I was going to die. I thought constantly about killing myself just to end the pain. However, there was one thought that kept me strong. I kept thinking about it and it kept me alive. It was you, Hinata. I kept thinking to myself that if I survived this, then I would be able to see you again."

Hinata gasped. "W-What are you saying?"

Naruto lowered his eyes. "I'm not sure. But you have been on my mind a lot recently. I think I might like you. I think I really like you. And I don't want to say good-bye to you. Not ever."

Hinata's eyes filled with fresh tears. She had been waiting her entire life for this, but her father…

Hinata shook her head as a steady stream of tears poured down her face. "Naruto… I l-"

She looked up into his blue eyes and warm smile and her heart melted. But her father's image and cold words filled her mind.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and turned around and ran off.

Naruto was stunned. His body had taken over and suddenly he had been saying words he had never even thought about. Still, Hinata reaction had shaken him to the core. Did she not like him?

Naruto shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking like this. She was an heiress after all. And he was just lowly Naruto, a demon. Naruto's heart sunk and he had no idea why these thought kept pouring into his head. He decided to take a mission just to get his mind of this.

Meanwhile, Hinata was running home with tears streaking off her face and into the street. She had imagined Naruto asking her out hundreds of times, but never once did she imagine herself having to say no.

She soon found herself in front of the Hyuuga household. She took a deep breathe and burst through the front doors. However, her father was standing in the courtyard, training, but he was the last person she wanted to see right now.

She ran past him, tears flowing, all the way to her room. She flung herself down on top of her bed and buried her face into her pillow. The tears just wouldn't stop and soon there was a massive puddle on her pillow.

Hinata sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes. She lifted her pillow and pulled out the jacket Naruto had left 3 years earlier. Then, she grabbed the letter Naruto had written her and held it tightly against her chest. Hinata looked down at the ring Naruto had given her and tried to remember the good times they had.

Her attitude slowly started to lift as various memories of Naruto flashed through her head. She had always loved him. Why was she refusing him now that he liked her back? The longer she thought about it the angrier she got. She had a good reason to be mad and that reason happened to be in the courtyard, training.

She ran out of her room and furiously walked up to her father. "Father! Why don't you like Naruto?"

Hiashi gave his daughter a stunned look. He didn't like him because the demon fox was sealed inside him, but he was forbidden to speak of it. "He is an improper boy and unfit to know an heiress like yourself."

Hinata had heard enough of this excuse. "It's because of the Nine-Tails, isn't it?"

Hiashi was taken back. "How do you know of that?" He spluttered.

"That doesn't matter to me! I love Naruto for who he is! Why can't you accept that?" Hinata asked, tears already forming in her eyes once again.

"A demon can never love you back and as long as you live in this house, you will follow my rules!" Hiashi stated firmly.

Hinata's face grew red and she blinked back her tears. "Fine." She said calmly. "Then I'm leaving." With that Hinata turned and ran out of the complex.

Hiashi was too proud to go chasing after her. Besides she would be back. She wouldn't have the courage to live alone. He folded his arms and walked to his room.

Naruto, meanwhile, was in Tsunade's room, begging her for a mission.

"Please! There must be some mission I can do!" Naruto begged.

A large vein popped up on Tsunade's forehead and she smacked Naruto into the ground.

"Shut up! You're so loud I can't hear myself think!" Tsunade yelled at Naruto's smoking corpse. She sat back down and rubbed her pounding temples.

"I suppose there is one mission I could give you. It's an A-rank surveillance mission. A tip-off said that Orochimaru was seen in a near-by village. It's probably just a rumor or it could even be a trap. Are you sure you want it?"

Naruto leaped up in joy. "Yes! Yes! YES!"

Tsunade's headache grew worse and she punched Naruto into the ground again. "I already told you to shut up!"

"Sorry." Naruto mumbled from the floor.

"Now, listen up." Tsunade said as she handed him a scroll containing the mission briefing. "This is a two-man mission so you need to pick a partner."

"Sweet! Can I pick anyone?" Naruto said, his thoughts drifting to a certain lavender-eyed princess.

Tsunade's eyes glinted evilly. "Yes. You may pick anyone you want… as long as it's a boy. Oh, and he has to have black hair. And also, he has to have bushy eyebrows. But other than that, it's your choice!"

Naruto's grin practically melted off his face. "The only one who fits into that is Lee."

Tsunade smiled widely. "Great idea! Lee is perfect! I wonder why I didn't think of choosing him!"

Naruto scowled at her. "You made me-" Tsunade glared menacingly and Naruto shut his mouth. He needed to leave before his face became permanently etched into the floor.

"Thanks, Grandma!" Naruto shouted as he ran out the door.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Tsunade screamed after him. She made a mental note to hit him the next time she saw him.

Naruto laughed to himself as he ran over to Lee's apartment. He loudly knocked on his door and waited impatiently for Lee to answer the door.

"Hello?" Lee said as he stepped outside.

Naruto immediately slapped him on the back. "Hey, Bushy Brows! We got a mission!"

"A mission?" Lee asked, clearly surprised, but there seemed to almost be a sense of disappointment in his eyes.

"Yep!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully. "Hurry and get packed. I'll meet you at the front gates in half an hour." Naruto waved and ran off to pack.

However, Lee turned back into his house and his met with a set of brown eyes staring back at him. "Sorry, but I have to go." Lee said sadly.

Meanwhile, Hinata was searching all over the town for Naruto. She had already tried his apartment, but there had been no answer. She was beginning to worry.

Sadly, she was only a minute too early. Had she been one minute later in knocking on Naruto's door, she would have seen him run up to his apartment to pack.

Naruto, however, was so pumped up for the mission, he quickly gathered a few clothes and some food and he was back out the door in 15 minutes. He slung his pack over his shoulder and was on his way towards the front gate.

Lee was there waiting for him when he arrived. Naruto smiled widely. "Let's go, buddy!"

Lee nodded and followed Naruto out of the village. A minute later, Hinata ran past the gates looking for Naruto. She stopped suddenly when she thought she saw Naruto walking off in the distance. She blinked her eyes and Naruto disappeared. She sighed sadly and continued her search.

Hinata had almost lost hope. She had searched all over the village and there was no sign of Naruto anywhere. She could think of only one other person who might know where he was.

A few minutes later, Hinata was standing outside the Hokage's room. She slowly raised her arm and softly knocked on the door.

"Enter." A voice from inside said.

Hinata took a deep breath and entered. Tsunade was sitting behind her desk with Shizune standing right beside her.

"Um… Hello… H-Have you seen Naruto today?" Hinata mumbled shyly.

Tsunade smiled at the young girl's concern and the smile reassured Hinata slightly.

"Of course. I sent him and Lee on a mission hardly an hour ago."

Hinata sighed with relief. At least he was safe…for now. "Um … Do you know when he will be back?"

Tsunade shook her head. "No. It could take a while since Orochimaru is involved." At soon as the words left Tsunade's mouth, she froze. _Oh crap_

Hinata was stunned. "O-Orochimaru… Orochimaru! You can't! They could be killed!" Hinata shouted in protest.

Tsunade frowned. "They both are full fledged ninja from the Leaf. They know the dangers and they know how to take care of themselves."

"B-But…"

"No buts. Now, I have a lot of paperwork to do so I can't keep talking. Don't worry so much, Hinata. Naruto will be fine. Trust me. He wouldn't go down so easy."

Hinata tried to comfort herself around this fact. She knew how tough Naruto was, but this was Orochimaru! Hinata sighed and left the Hokage's room.

She walked sadly back into an apartment district and bought a room. She had no intention of going back to her father's. Although, she deeply wished that Naruto had been here to bring her into his house.

She walked up several flights of stairs until she came to room 1F. She pulled out her key and opened the door. The room wasn't too bad. It didn't have a lot of furniture and it wasn't very comforting, but at least it was clean.

Suddenly, there was a small movement near Hinata's feet. Hinata gasped and through herself onto the nearby couch. There was another quick movement and Hinata felt a warmth on her lap.

She looked down and saw that there was a small baby fox resting on her lap. It was orange with a black strip flowing down its back.

Hinata giggled at how it resembled Naruto. She picked it up and held it closer to her face to inspect it. The baby fox reached over and licked her nose. Hinata giggled again and placed it in her lap to pet it.

"Are you lost?" Hinata asked it. The fox perked up and jumped off Hinata's lap. It then proceeded to run around the room and chase its tail.

Hinata smiled and sat up to play with the fox. "You remind me a lot of someone I know."

The fox seemed to respond to Hinata's voice and jumped up into Hinata's lap again.

Hinata started petting it again and it curled up into a furry little ball. "I suppose I should name you. How about…Naru-chan?"

The fox perked up again and ran up into Hinata's shirt and out her collar. It then seemed content to lie upon her head.

Hinata giggled. "You're defiantly a boy fox. No girl fox would try this hard to get a girl's attention."

The fox seemed to have endless energy as it leaped off her head and onto the ground. It then continued to run around the room, dashing in between Hinata's legs.

Hinata continued to laugh and play with Naru-chan, letting all her worries and troubles flow out of her mind.

Meanwhile, Lee and Naruto were still traveling and had stopped along the road to set up camp. They were both sitting around a blazing campfire.

"So, Lee… How are things with Ten-Ten?" Naruto asked.

Lee looked shocked. "How do you know?"

Naruto laughed. "Come on, she calls you Lee-baby. How much more obvious can it get?" _And she already told me she likes you ._Naruto thought to himself.

Lee blushed. "Well, she just suddenly came up to me and confessed. I was so surprised I just went along with it."

Naruto gaped in shock. "Wait… I thought you like Sakura?"

Lee blushed deeper and avoided looking into Naruto's eyes. "I… uh… still kinda like her…but I really like TenTen. But, she was always just TenTen. I never saw her as anything more than just my teammate and friend. . Once she confessed I saw her in a new light and just forgot about Sakura and just went along with TenTen."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah… I know what you're talking about. There is this girl that I never even used to notice. Then all of a sudden she is in my life all the time. She was around me so much that I took her for granted. Then, when she wasn't there anymore, I realized how much I cared for her and how much I need her in my life."

Lee laughed. "Man, that's deep. What have you done with the real Naruto?"

Naruto punched Lee in the shoulder playfully. "Come on man. I'm being serious here. I think I might really like her."

"So ask her out. Duh."

"B-But I don't want to ruin our friendship. And besides she is an heiress. It couldn't work out." Naruto hung his head sadly.

"Oh." Lee laid his hand on Naruto's shoulder and gripped it tightly. "Its ok man. Everything will turn out ok."

"I hope you're right." Naruto stood up and walked over to his sleeping bag. "Well, I'm out for tonight. Later."

"Night." Lee said as he curled up into his own sleeping bag.

Naruto laid down on top of his sleeping bag and gazed upwards at the stars. In his eyes, the stars seemed to resemble the eyes of a certain girl he had left back home. He stared at the stars until he couldn't keep his eyes open and sleep drifted over him.

Meanwhile, at Hinata's new apartment, she had just laid Naru-chan down to bed. The young fox, which had earlier been full of energy, now seemed tired and sleepy. It laid down on one of the pillows on Hinata's bed and went to sleep.

Hinata gazed at it curiously. "I guess, somewhere, right now, Naruto must be sleepy too. How strange. You seem to resemble Naruto in every way." Hinata said to the fox. "You must be some sort of talisman." Hinata giggled at this and laid down upon her bed. Her muscles ached from playing with the fox and it wasn't long before she was asleep.

The next morning, Lee was awoken by a loud scream. He looked around in surprise and saw Naruto yelling and jumping around the camp excitedly. "Wake up Lee! It's mission time!"

Lee grumbled quietly. He liked being the first person to wake up and Naruto had spoiled it for him. He got out of bed and helped Naruto pack up the camp.

However, at the same time but, miles away, Naru-chan awoke. He jumped around in a frenzy trying to wake Hinata. He wanted to play, but Hinata was in a deep slumber, dreaming of Naruto.

The young fox bounded all across the room excitedly, but it saw that Hinata would not wake so it gave up and curled next to her face and waited for her eyes to open.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Lee had finished packing up the camp and were walking towards their destination.

After an hour or so, they reached a small trading town. However, all the buildings were deserted. Lee and Naruto eyed the town suspiciously.

"Be careful. It could be a trap." Lee whispered to Naruto.

"A trap?" A familiar voice said with a hiss. "Now what makes you say that?"

Naruto had recognized the voice and gasped in shock. _No way. It can't be…._ Naruto spun around and looked the speaker in the face.

"Hello there, Naruto. It's been a while."

"Orochimaru…."

Orochimaru smiled and flicked his tongue though his teeth. "How kind of you to remember. Too bad you're about to die."

**AHA! How was that? I know I always end in a cliffhanger, but doesn't that keep it exciting! Once again, I'm sorry for taking a month to post, but it wont happen again!**

**See you all next time!**


	22. Naruto's Death?

**Hey guys! First off, I'm kinda disappointed in the amount of reviews I got last chapter! You guys can do better than that! I know I didn't post for a month… well… I guess we are pretty much even now. OK! So review more this chapter! At least ten! BTW there are only 19 more reviews until the 400****th**** review! I will be giving away a mini prize but for my 500****th**** reviewer I will give away a mega-grand prize! So be sure to review as much as you can! Anyways I saw that you all really like Naru-chan so I'm kinda worried that you all will hate me by the end of this chapter. There is a fight scene is this chapter and im not really sure how well I can write fight scenes but I hope you all will forgive me if I suck at it. **

**Disclaimer: These disclaimers are as useful as an inflatable dart board or a solar-powered flashlight or a scratch and sniff sticker at the bottom of a pool.**

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Naruto turned around and his heart seemed to climb into his throat.

"Orochimaru…"

Meanwhile, Hinata had just woken up. She stuck her hand under her pillow, expecting to find to the warmth of Naruto's jacket. However, it was not there. Hinata frowned. She began every day by cuddling with Naruto's jacket. She was already missing home.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She looked around for Naru-chan, but he was no where in sight. She got out of bed and began looking for him. She looked around the dark apartment for several minutes, before she heard a faint noise.

She gasped as she saw Naru-chan curled up in a corner, whimpering. She ran over to him and held him in her arms. "Aww, poor Naru-chan! What's the matter? Are you hurt?" She tried petting him, but Naru-chan was shaking quite vigorously.

"Maybe you're hungry?" Hinata said as she looked through all the cabinets for some food. Unfortunately, she had just moved into the apartment and thusly had no food to give the whimpering fox.

"Listen, Naru-chan. I'm going to the store to get some food. I'll be right back, ok?" She took Naru-chan into her room and placed him on her bed. She bent down to kiss him on the head and then left the apartment.

As she shut the apartment door, she realized she had a tough choice to make. She could either take the long way to the store and avoid the Hyuuga complex or take the short cut, but the short cut would take her right beside the Hyuuga front gates. She decided that it was for Naru-chan's sake and that she needed to get back to him as soon as possible.

She ran as quickly as she could towards the store, preying that her father would not see her. However, as she ran by the Hyuuga complex she saw a familiar face and it called out to her.

"Hinata! Wait!" Neji yelled as he ran after Hinata. He reached and grabbed her shoulder and spun her around so he could look her in the eyes.

"Hinata… I need to talk to you."

"I'm not coming back!"

"That's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about Naruto."

Hinata started listening, suddenly she was interested. "What about him?"

"Well… Back before the Chunin exams I was a different person. However, after I beat you in the preliminary exam, Naruto was furious. I remember him jumping down from the rails and swearing on you blood that he would defeat me."

Hinata's eyes widen. _He swore on my blood? Did Naruto really care about me back then?_

"Throughout our battle, I could tell he was fighting for your honor. H never gave up. He would die to protect his friends. I … I just want you to know that I approve of your feeling for him and I wish you the best of luck." Neji said as he bowed his head.

Hinata gasped. She knew how hard it was for Neji to show respect like this and it warmed her heart to know that her happiness was this important to him. She reached out and hugged him.

"Thank you, Neji. You'll never know how much that means to me."

"Hinata, come home. I miss you. And I know Hiashi misses you too even if he is too proud to admit it."

"Do you really think so?" Hinata asked hesitantly. She had not planned on going back home, but she could not lie to herself. She was homesick.

"Oh my god! Naru-chan! I completely forgot!" Hinata yelled as she took off running.

Neji followed after her. "Who?"

"This little fox I found. I need to buy him some food."

"Mind if I join you? I want to check out your new area of residence."

Hinata smiled at him. "Of course."

Several minutes later, Hinata and Neji had picked some pork chops and were back at Hinata's apartment.

"Naru-chan! Lunchtime!" Hinata called out as she set the plate of pork on the ground. Neji was sitting on a couch beside her.

"Neji? Does father really want me back?" Hinata whispered as she sat next to him.

"I'm not sure." Neji said sheepishly. 'But he defiantly has been depressed recently. I think if you came back and made some compromises, he would be happy to let you back in."

Hinata said nothing. She was too deep in thought to respond. Naru-chan had not eaten his food…

"Naru-chan…." Hinata cooed. "Where are you?" Hinata got off the couch and began looking for the baby fox. She found him still curled up and trembling in the same corner he was in when she left.

Hinata picked up a piece of the pork and held it up to Naru-chan's nose. "Come on, Naru-chan. Eat."

Still, Naru-chan refused to touch the pork and continued to whine and tremble.

"It looks like he is afraid of something…" Neji noticed. "Strange… this fox bears a strange resemblance to Naruto…"

Hinata suddenly gasped. "Naruto… Naru-chan, is Naruto in danger?" As Hinata asked this the fox stopped trembling and jumped into Hinata lap. Obviously, this was Naru-chan's way of saying yes.

Hinata held Naru-chan close to her chest and prayed for Naruto's safety. Neji sensed Hinata's worry and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Meanwhile, Naruto really was in danger.

"Hello there, Naruto. It's been quite a while since we met. Did you miss me?" Orochimaru asked with a hiss on his lips.

"How could I ever miss a monster like you?!" Naruto roared, his eyes already turning red.

Orochimaru grinned. "Now why would you go and say something like that? I thought we were friends. We have sooo much in common."

"I have NOTHING in common with YOU!" Naruto shouted in fury. He dashed forward with his fist reared back. However, as he Naruto drew close to Orochimaru, Orochimaru vanished into the ground.

Naruto looked around, confused. Suddenly, Orochimaru's tongue burst from the ground and grabbed Naruto's leg. Naruto was lifted high into the air, slammed into the ground, and then tossed towards Lee.

Lee rushed to his friend's side. "Naruto! Are you alright?"

Naruto stood up shakily and wiped the blood from his forehead. "I'm fine. Listen, I need you to run back to the village and warn the Hokage. She needs to know about this.

"But Naruto…Can you handle him by yourself?" Lee asked, worried about his friend.

"It doesn't matter! You must warn the village. Run as fast as you can!" Naruto yelled as he charged towards Orochimaru. Lee turned away from his friend and took off running towards the village.

Naruto swung his fist towards Orochimaru's face, but Orochimaru's tongue swirled around Naruto's fist and tossed him aside. "I'm so disappointed, Naruto. I'd thought you would almost as good as Sasuke, but you are an ant compared to him."

Naruto roared in anger as red chakra began to flow out and surround him. One tail began to from behind him. Orochimaru suddenly appeared behind Naruto. "Again with the tails? Naruto, you are so predictable." Orochimaru pulled a sword from his mouth and stabbed Naruto through the stomach.

Despite his wound, Naruto swung backwards and nailed Orochimaru in the face. Orochimaru flung backwards, landing several feet away. Naruto knelt down from the incapacitating pain from both his wound and the burning chakra around him.

Orochimaru stood up slowly. "I had forgotten how persistent you are. It won't happen again." Orochimaru said as he ran towards Naruto, sword in hand.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as ten clones popped up around him.

"Don't insult me!" Orochimaru shouted. "I have seen you do this dozens of times! I know that the real you is always the one who stands safely in the back!"

Orochimaru dashed forward, cutting his way through several clones, towards the Naruto standing behind the rest. Orochimaru jumped over the group of clones and stabbed the one in the back. However, the said Naruto puffed into a cloud of smoke.

"Oh? So you hide yourself among the clones? How clever. But nowhere near good enough!" Orochimaru said as snakes flew out his sleeves. All of the clones were instantly bitten and destroyed. However, Naruto was nowhere in sight.

"Oh my… Where could you be?" Orochimaru taunted.

Suddenly, Naruto burst from the ground below Orochimaru. He shoved his hand into Orochimaru's mouth. "What's the matter? Aren't you going to grab me with your tongue?" Naruto grinned wickedly. "If you aren't going to use it, then I'm going to take it away!" Naruto grabbed Orochimaru's tongue and ripped it out.

Orochimaru staggered back, screeching in pain. Then he opened his mouth widely and another Orochimaru climbed out. "You will pay for that, Naruto!"

"Bring it on!" Naruto shouted.

Orochimaru grinned. "You're going to regret sending your friend away." He made a series of hand signs and yelled "Exploding Boa Jutsu!" Several snakes erupted from Orochimaru's fingers and rushed towards Naruto. Naruto dodged backwards, evading the snakes.

Orochimaru, however, was busying making hundreds of hand signs. "Crushing Snake Wave! Piercing Snake Bite!"

Huge, black snake erupted from the ground beneath Naruto and tiny white snakes slithered towards him from behind. The black snakes grabbed onto Naruto's legs and wrapped all the way around his body. There were several loud cracked as the snakes broke Naruto's bones. The small white snakes crawled up the black ones and stabbed their sharp tails though his body. Finally the first snakes coiled around Naruto's legs and blew up.

Orochimaru cackled as a mushroom cloud blew up over Naruto. "At last! The Nine-Tailed brat is dead!"

Meanwhile, Hinata was still trying to feed Naru-chan. "Come, Naru-chan. Please eat."

Suddenly, the little fox stopped moving. He hung limp in Hinata's hands. "N-Naru-chan? Naru-chan!" Hinata yelled frantically.

Neji activated his Byuakugan and checked the fox's vitals. There were none. Little Naru-chan was dead. Neji laid his hand on Hinata's shoulder and shook his head. Tears flowed out of Hinata's eyes as she hugged Naru-chan. She had really wanted to show him to Naruto.

Hinata gasped. _If Naru-chan is dead then… Naruto… NO! Naruto can't be dead. He can't!_

"Hinata… We should give him a proper burial." Neji said.

Hinata nodded her head.

They took Naru-chan and buried him in the garden next to the apartment. Looking upon Naru-chan's grave Hinata made a vow to herself. If Naruto survived and came back to the village she would tell him exactly how she felt about him. But first she had some things to sort out with her father.

Hinata wiped the tears from her eyes and walked towards the Hyuuga complex. Neji followed her and was silent the entire time.

Minutes later, Hinata strode through the front doors and into the courtyard. Her father was training there, like always. When her eyes met his, Hiashi stopped training and walked over to his daughter.

"Hinata? What you doing back here?" Hiashi asked with no emotion in his voice.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Naruto."

"Relax." Hiashi interrupted. "Yesterday is Yesterday. If we try to capture it we will only lose tomorrow. Besides, I already know how much you care for him. And although I don't agree, I can't blame you for your choice. You're so much like your mother in that way."

Hinata gasped. Her father rarely ever spoke about her mother. She shook off the surprise and stepped closer to her father. "I was wondering if I could come back and live here."

Hiashi frowned. "If it were up to me, yes, but sadly it's not. There are rules and once you leave you can't come back. I'm sorry.

Hinata hung her head. It saddened her to know that she could never return home, but she hadn't expected anything better.

"Do you mind if I get my stuff?" Hinata asked her father.

"Go right ahead." Hiashi said. Hinata walked to her room and gathered her things into a suitcase. The last thing she packed was Naruto's jacket. She held it close to her face and nuzzled against it before putting it in the suitcase. After she was done packing she headed back downstairs.

"Alright. I bought a small apartment about a mile away. I guess that's where I will live now."

I'm sorry, Hinata." Neji said.

Hinata faked a smile. "Hey, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Hinata waved good-bye and walked back out the front doors. She decided she better walk back to her apartment to unpack her things.

Once she was back home and unpacked, (Naruto's jacket placed underneath her pillow), her thoughts drifted back to Naruto. _I hope he is safe. I don't know what I would do if he died…_

She decided she would go to the Hokage's office to ask about Naruto's mission. She was still worried about the Orochimaru thing. And after Naru-chan's death… Hinata shook her head. She refused to think about that any longer.

Several minutes later, Hinata was outside the Hokage's office. She knocked on the door softly. She could hear loud, agitated voices from inside.

"Enter."

Hinata opened the door slowly. She gasped when she saw Lee standing in the room in front of Tsunade. If Lee was back then Naruto must be too.

"Lee? Is Naruto with you?" Hinata whispered hopefully.

Lee's head hung sadly. "No. We were attacked by Orochimaru and Naruto stayed behind to try and hold him off."

Hinata's world crumbled around her. "H-He's f-f-fighting Orochimaru by h-himself." She couldn't believe it. Naruto didn't stand a chance against him. He was a Sanin!

"We have to go save him! Naruto could die! We don't have much time!" Hinata yelled frantically, tears beginning to pour out of her eyes.

"I already have sent Kakashi and Guy. They should arrive there shortly. Please calm down, Hinata. They would never let Naruto die." Tsunade said in a soothing voice.

Hinata took a deep breathe. She trusted Kakashi to keep Naruto safe, but what if they were already too late? What if Naruto was already… Hinata couldn't even think about the next word.

_Please, Naruto. Please be safe._

Meanwhile, the dust around Orochimaru was starting to clear. "At last! The Nine-Tailed brat is dead!"

Suddenly, Orochimaru stopped laughing. "What?! How can this be?"

The dust cleared completely. Naruto was standing there in full Demon Cloak with four red chakra tails flowing out behind him. Naruto's chakra erupted out of him with a loud roar. He burst forward at a frightening speed and punched Orochimaru into the ground. There was a large explosion and a huge crater appeared around Orochimaru.

Orochimaru climbed out of the large hole he had been punched into and spat out blood. "You really are intriguing! But I came prepared this time." Orochimaru reached into a pouch and pulled out a piece of paper with the word 'Seal' on it.

The Nine-Tails controlling Naruto did not know what this paper was, nor did it care. It charged forward with a primal roar. Orochimaru vanished in a cloud of black smoke and reappeared behind Naruto. He reached forward and placed the seal on Naruto's back. However, a large claw jumped out of Naruto's back and pierced Orochimaru though the stomach. Orochimaru staggered back, bleeding quite heavily.

Unfortunately the seal was already in place. Naruto slowly returned to his normal state, however, most of his skin had been burned off. Orochimaru held his hand to his gaping wound. "Damn him. I did not think he would be able to damage me this badly. And two more Jounin are on the way. I do not have the energy to fight any longer." Orochimaru said as he disappeared into the ground.

Minutes later, Kakashi and Guy arrived at Naruto's broken and bleeding body.

Kakashi knelt next to Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Once again I have arrived too late." Kakashi picked up Naruto and carefully placed him on his back. "Come on, Guy. We need to get Naruto to a hospital immediately."

Guy nodded and followed after him.

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**Phew! How was that? I thought it was a pretty good chapter! Anyways the next chapter might have a kissing scene in it… I'm not sure… maybe it will and maybe it won't. You will just have to wait and see. How is that for a cliffhanger? Oh and only 19 more reviews until the 400th review so make sure you review! The prize will be you get to pick Naruto and Hinata's first date! Good Luck!**


	23. First kiss: A sense of falling

**Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long, but with Christmas and new years and studying for mid-terms I have had literally no time to post . It's such a stupid time of year. Anyways I hope you all had a happy holiday! Everyone seemed to show support for the first kiss being in this chapter so I guess I have no choice… but I guarantee its not going to be what you expect. Mwhahah! Get ready for a super twist!**

**Disclaimer: This is as useful as a pedal-powered wheelchair or a submarine screen door. **

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Kakashi and Guy had just arrived at Naruto's broken and bleeding body.

Kakashi knelt next to Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Once again I have arrived too late." Kakashi picked up Naruto and carefully placed him on his back. "Come on, Guy. We need to get Naruto to a hospital immediately."

Guy nodded and followed after him.

Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. A nurse quickly noticed the bleeding body in Kakashi's arms and immediately found him a room.

Kakashi laid Naruto down on the bed. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I played favorites and I've never taught you anything. But most of all, I'm sorry for not being there when you truly needed me."

Several nurses suddenly burst into the room. They stripped Naruto off his bloody clothes and began administering their healing chakra all over his body.

Guy put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "He's in their hands now." Kakashi nodded and they both left the room.

After leaving the house, Kakashi headed towards a small apartment district. He knew there was a certain person he should tell about Naruto's condition.

He searched for the source of her chakra and when he found the apartment, he knocked on the door. There was no reply for a few moments, but when the door finally opened, Hinata stood behind with red and puffy eyes.

Kakashi smiled sheepishly while Hinata quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Naruto is back."

Hinata's heart surged with relief. But she did not like the look in Kakashi's eyes. They seemed sad for some reason. "How is he…?"

Kakashi couldn't seem to find his voice so he shook his head. Hinata misunderstood his expression and assumed the worst. She sprinted towards the hospital, leaving Kakashi with a bewildered look upon his face.

Tears slid from her eyes as she ran for the hospital. _ He can't be….. It's not possible….. I can't live without him! _Hinata shook her head and increased her pace. _He has been everything to me since that day. _

Flashback

"_Take that, you pupil-less freak!" Some kid yelled as he pushed a young Hinata onto the ground. "Who would ever want to play with a girl with eyes like yours."_

_Hinata's eyes filled with tears. "P-Please…. S-stop."_

_The kid grinned at his observing friends. "You're a FREAK!" The kid pulled back his arm for a punch and Hinata closed her eyes, bracing for impact. _

"_STOP IT!" A voice shouted from behind the bully. Hinata opened her eyes to see a familiar blond kid jump past the group of kids and kick the bully in the face. _

"_Naruto?" Hinata whispered in disbelief. _

_Naruto jumped onto the bully stomach and began pummeling his face. The bully's two friends ran up and pulled Naruto off their friend. They both held onto one of Naruto's arms. The bully stood up and wiped the blood of his face._

"_Who the hell are you? And what do you think you're doing?" The bully asked._

"_I'm Naruto! And I'm going to kick your ass." Naruto replied angrily._

_The kids laughed. "And who is this girl to you?"_

_Naruto grinned. "She is my friend."_

_Again, the kids laughed. "This freak is your friend?" The bully asked as he drove his fist into Naruto's stomach. Naruto doubled up in pain and gasped for breath. _

"_NO!" Hinata shouted. Why was Naruto doing this for her? Why was he taking her punches like this? Tears filled Hinata's eyes again._

"_Please, don't hurt him." Hinata begged. _

_The bully sneered. He walked over to Hinata and yanked her up by her hair. "Shut up, you freak! Nobody-"_

"_SHUT UP!!" Naruto yelled. "Stop calling her a freak!" Naruto swung his leg back hitting one of the kids between the legs. The kids grip on Naruto loosened and Naruto wretched his arms free. Naruto swung his fist and nailed the other kid square in the nose. The kid fell back holding his bleeding nose. The two friends shared a quick glance and took off running. _

_Naruto turned his attention to the bully. He kicked the back of the bully's knees, forcing him onto the ground. Naruto then raised his foot over the kid's hand. "If you ever touch my friend again, I'll KILL you!" Naruto brought his foot down._

_The was an agonizing scream from the kid as the bones in his hand snapped. The sobbing kid jumped up and ran after his friends. Once they were out of sight, Naruto kneeled down beside Hinata_

"_Are you hurt?" Naruto asked softly._

"_N-No. I'm f-fine." Hinata shook her head. Naruto was too close and too cute. Hinata couldn't stay focused. Just remembering to breath took most of her concentration. _

_Naruto smiled warmly. "Good. I'm glad. You shouldn't let what those boys said hurt you. You are not a freak." _

_Hinata sniffled. "B-But my eyes…"_

_Naruto laughed, "They are beautiful."_

_Hinata gasped and glowed bright red. 'R-Really?"_

"_Yep! They sure are!" Naruto gave her another dazzling smile that knocked the breath out of Hinata._

_Hinata struggled to regain her composure. "S-So… where did y-you learn to fight like t-that?"_

_The smile vanished from Naruto's face. "I have had a lot of experience with bullies. You see, I really am a freak." Once the word freak was out of Naruto's mouth, he took off running._

_Hinata gazed after him wondering what he could possibly mean. She stood up and followed after him. She didn't know it then but she was starting a pattern that she would keep for many years to come._

End Flashback

Hinata wiped the tears from her eyes as she entered the hospital. There were several nurses running around in a frenzy. Hinata tried to make her way to the front desk when something orange caught her eye. She turned her head only to see several nurses carrying somebody in a stretcher.

"Naruto!" Hinata shouted as she recognized the body. She ran to catch up to the nurses, matching her pace with the front nurse who wouldn't stop running.

"Where are you taking Naruto?" Hinata asked the nurse.

"To the surgery room. He is in critical condition. If he doesn't get serious medical treatment soon he's going to die!"

Hinata's world crumbled around her. She stopped running. Her body felt like lead. The nurses sprinted past her not even bothering to look back.

Fortunately Tsunade was nearby and spotted Hinata. She pulled her aside and followed after the nurses. They stopped at a door marked Surgery. There was a blinking red light above the door that meant there was an ongoing surgery behind the doors.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. This is as far as you can go." She sat Hinata down on a nearby bench and sat next to her.

"W-What happened to him…?" Hinata asked, her voice only barely above a whisper.

Tsunade sighed. "You already know he was on a mission to try and find Orochimaru. I didn't think it was a possibility that Orochimaru would dare to be so close to out village, but he was and he found Naruto. They got into a fight and Naruto took some heavy injuries. The amazing thing is that he managed to inflict some injuries on Orochimaru as well. They were bad enough to force Orochimaru to flee the scene. That kid never ceases to surprise me."

Hinata nodded her head slightly. Naruto certainly was strong, and it made Hinata proud to know him. But now he could be dieing and Hinata couldn't even see him. There was nothing worse than this.

"Listen, Hinata. This surgery is going to take all day and I can't stay here to keep you company. You may want to go home."

"I'm staying." Hinata said defiantly.

"Ok." Tsunade smiled weakly and walked through the doors. Hinata turned her head trying to steal a peek through the doors, but it was pitch black inside and Tsunade quickly shut the doors behind her.

Hinata folded her arms stubbornly and waited for the light to turn off.

Several hours later, Hinata eyes began to feel droopy. She had spent most of the previous night wide awake worrying about Naruto and was now feeling the effects. Hinata fought to stay awake. She wanted to know if Naruto would be okay, but her body needed rest and it soon won the battle. Hinata closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Many hours later, Tsunade watched as Naruto was wheeled out of the surgery room. Shizune walked up beside her. "Naruto sure is amazing. No normal person could ever have survived that. He has an incredible will to live."

Tsunade laughed. "He refuses to die until he becomes the Hokage. Place him in his room and let his body take care of the rest." Tsunade sighed tiredly when out of the corner of her eye she saw Hinata sleeping on the bench beside the doors. "That girl really does like him… Shizune have somebody take that girl to her home."

Shizune nodded and bent over to pick up the napping girl.

Several hours later, Naruto started to wake up. He looked around sleepily and noticed that Tsunade was standing next to him.

"Finally awake? Good. I have your chart right here. It says you're going to make a full recovery. But listen, you took some serious damage. You need to stay here and rest." However, even as Tsunade said this, she knew there was no hope. Naruto would be gone by morning and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

"Oh and Naruto… Hinata stopped by."

Naruto gasped in surprise. "She was?"

"Yeah. She was here for hours waiting for news of your condition. She fell asleep so I had Shizune take her back home, but you might want to stop by and say hello."

Naruto didn't say anything and Tsunade could tell he was deep in thought. She turned and shut the door behind her as she left.

Meanwhile, Hinata was also just waking up. She immediately sat up and looked up to see if the red light had turned off. When she saw a ceiling fan she became confused. She looking around and realized she was back in her apartment. _Was the whole thing a dream? It was all so real…No I remember being there. It really happened. _

Suddenly, Hinata gasped. Naruto was in surgery! She ran out the door and headed back towards the hospital.

However, Naruto had just left the hospital. There were a hundred thoughts flying though his head and he needed a place to think. His fight with Orochimaru, Sasuke, and his memories of team 7 were flooding through his head, but surprisingly Hinata was the dominant thought.

Tsunade has said Hinata had waited for hours to see if he was ok. Was it possible that she liked him? Or was she just being a good friend? And what were his feelings about her?

Naruto shook his head. He was never very good with thinking this much. Normally he would just make a snap decision and hope for the best. But Hinata was much too important for that. He needed to consider her feelings as well as his own.

Is was possible that she liked him as well…

Flashback

_I',m sorry, Naruto. You fail." Iruka said as Naruto failed to create a successful clone._

"_But Iruka-sensei… This is the second time I have taken this exam. Please give me another chance!" Naruto begged._

"_Being a ninja is a serious matter, Naruto." Iruka frowned. "The entire village depends on the missions you will complete. You could even die on one of these missions. I'm not going to pass you until I'm sure you are ready. You are going to have to repeat the academy training. NEXT!" _

_Naruto walked out with his head hung in shame. He left the academy and headed towards the mountain with the Hokages' faces in it. Surprisingly, he was not the only one there._

"_Hinata?" _

_Hinata gasped in surprise and turned to face Naruto. "Um…H-Hi Naruto. W-What are you _

_d-doing here?" _

_Naruto's face slumped. "I just failed the Academy exam for the second time. I had worked so hard, too. I really thought I could pass this time. But Iruka always tests me on that stupid clone jutsu!" Naruto stamped his foot in frustration. _

_Hinata smiled weakly. "I-I failed too."_

"_What was that, Hinata? Did you say something?"_

_Hinata blushed and turned her head away from Naruto. "I-I… uh I just t-think that you are a really strong person… a-and … I think you could do a-anything if you believed in yourself…"_

_Naruto's brow crinkled in thought . "So all I have to do is believe it? Hm… I like the sound of that. Believe it!" _

_Hinata giggled quietly. Nothing could ever keep Naruto down for long. _

_Naruto grinned widely. "Thanks, Hinata. I will pass the next exam. BELIEVE IT!" _

End Flashback

After that day, Naruto had started training so hard, he completely forgot about Hinata. Every minute he had was dedicated to his extreme training.

Naruto mood worsened. As he thought back, Hinata was always there for him. In the Academy, in the Chuunin exams, she made lunches for him on missions, and comforted him on his failures. Naruto saddened as he realized that he had never really done anything for her.

But then a phrase entered his mine. 'You make my life so much better just by being alive.' Naruto remember Hinata saying that a while back, but he had never thought of it since then.

Maybe she really did like him… Naruto felt a small surge of happiness flow through his body at the thought. However, this confused him. Why should Hinata's feelings for him make him so happy?

_Maybe I like Hinata…._

As soon as that thought entered his mind, Naruto smiled. Strange… he had not tried to smile… It was if his face had acted upon its own desire. Naruto frowned. Why did Hinata have this effect on him?

He had just reached the top of the Hokage Monument. He sat down with his legs hanging off the edge that was the Fourth Hokage's face.

Meanwhile, Hinata had just reached the hospital. She burst through the front doors, gasping to catch her breath.

Shizune noticed her entrance and walked over to her. "Hey, Hinata. I assume you're here for Naruto."

Hinata nodded, still panting heavily.

"Hey, Yumi! Can you please show this girl to Naruto's room."

The nurse called Yumi smiled and headed down an adjacent hallway. Hinata followed after her. The nurse opened a nearby door and let Hinata walk in. "This is Naruto's room."

"Huh?" Hinata asked. There had to be some mistake. This room was empty. "Where is he?"

The nurse grabbed the chart. "When Naruto was admitted he had…. Oh my…."

Hinata held her breathe waiting for the bad news.

"It says here that he had over a hundred broken bones, a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen, and deep gashes all over his body."

Tears welled up in Hinata eyes. There was no way someone could survive all those injuries.

The nurse placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but we did all we could." Suddenly the nurse gasped and dropped the chart.

"What is it?" Hinata asked.

The nurse was almost too stunned to speak. "I-It says h-here that Naruto was r-released this morning! There's no way…"

Hinata was flooded with relief. She burst out of the hospital with a bounce in her step. Naruto was all right! Hinata couldn't be happier! But where was he now?

Hinata activated her Byuakugan and searched for Naruto. It took a few moments, but she finally spotted him sitting atop the stone faces.

Happiness bubbled up inside of her and she took off running toward him.

Naruto, however, was too deep in thought to even notice Hinata's presence when she arrived.

"N-Naruto?" Hinata asked. It was almost like a dream. It had been quite a while since she had seen him.

Naruto jumped at the sound of her voice. He quickly stood up and turned to face her. "Hey, Hinata."

"Oh, Naruto! You're alive!" Hinata shouted with joy and threw herself into Naruto's arms. She giggled delightfully and nuzzled her cheek against his chest.

Naruto was overwhelmed. Her soft hair was in his face and its smell was intoxicating. The urge to curl his fingers through it was almost uncontrollable. Her skin was soft and smooth against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

Naruto was having the effects on Hinata. She could feel his taunt muscles through his shirt. His scent was almost enough to make her pass out. She had always loved the smell of him. It was a mix of the comforting smell of dirt and grass and the delicious smell of ramen. When Naruto wrapped his arms around her, returning her hug, Hinata suddenly felt safe and secure. It was as if nothing could hurt her. All her worries and doubts vanished leaving only one certainty. She was in love with this man.

She looked up into his eyes and Naruto gazed back into her own. Suddenly the rest of the world disappeared. Time stood still and Hinata became lost in Naruto's eyes.

Suddenly Hinata saw it. She saw a beautiful wedding and a handsome Naruto in a tuxedo She saw herself raising two kids with bright blonde hair. She saw Naruto coming home from work and twirling her in his arms. She saw herself getting old with the man she loved.

She pulled back from the hug and sighed deeply. It was finally time. She took a deep breath as she prepared to empty out her soul to him.

"Naruto…. I have …l-l-… l-liked you for a very long time." Hinata couldn't bring herself to say love. She didn't want to put that kind of pressure on him so suddenly. "I've liked you ever since our days in the academy…"

Naruto smiled. "Wow. I don't think I have liked you for that long, but I think I really do like you now."

Hinata was on cloud nine. She had dreamed of Naruto saying this a hundred times, but it could never have prepared her for this feeling. Her entire body was as light as a cloud. Hinata felt as if

Naruto was the only thing keeping her on the ground. Naruto had become her gravity.

Hinata struggled to stay conscious. Suddenly she noticed Naruto leaning closer to her. _Oh my god…. Is he going to k-ki_… Hinata almost passed out at the thought. She concentrated as hard as she could and managed to close her eyes and pucker up her lips. Naruto did the same and leaned even closer. Their lips met in the slightest, softest of touches.

Hinata's world exploded in bright lights. She had never felt anything like this before. It was like a dream. No. Even better than a dream. Hinata could never have imagined a feeling like this. It was as if a thousand fireworks were going off inside of Hinata. Her lips were tingling, there were butterflies in her stomach and her cheeks burned red.

This started to become too much for Hinata. She started to feel light-headed and the world around her became hazy. Naruto's cute face became dark and Hinata lost consciousness.

Naruto was also feeling light-headed. So light-headed, that when Hinata's lips left his own, it took him a moment to realize what happened. He opened his eyes and realized that Hinata was slipping out of his grasp. Fear overwhelmed Naruto as Hinata fell backwards off the cliff

"HINATA!!" Naruto yelled as he stretched out his hand trying to catch Hinata. But he was too late. Naruto could only watch Hinata's peaceful face as she fell off the cliff. Naruto rushed over to the edge only to see Hinata fall hundreds of feet and then crash headfirst into the ground.

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**BAM! What a cliff hanger! I told you that you wouldn't expect that for a first kiss! Now wasn't that chapter worth the long wait? Now that finals are over I should be able to post another chapter within two weeks. I know you all cant wait to see what happens next but I need some time to think of it lol anyways, about that flashback scene with the bullies. Hinata was around 11 so puberty was just setting in. She knew Naruto before then but that day she saw him in a different light. I don't like putting in flashbacks because it goes against the anime but the readers like them so I don't have a choice but if you could please tell me your thoughts on my flashbacks. Thanks and see you next time!**


	24. Lost Memory

**Hey guys! I know I left you with quite a cliffhanger so I tried to post early. You all had to wait 28 chapters for that first kiss and I do that to you…. Some people were really pissed. But I told you I didn't want them dating until much later. Don't worry im not going to kill Hinata , yet! MWHAHAHAHAH I'm kidding but I guarantee you didn't see this chapter coming! HAHA! Enjoy!**

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"HINATA!!" Naruto yelled as he stretched out his hand trying to catch Hinata. But he was too late. Naruto could only watch Hinata's peaceful face as she fell off the cliff. Naruto rushed over to the edge only to see Hinata fall hundreds of feet and then crash headfirst into the ground.

Normally, Naruto could have just dived after Hinata and saved her no problem, but he was still light-headed from the kiss and could not think clearly. However, once Naruto heard the sickening sound of Hinata hitting the ground, he snapped back into reality.

Naruto jumped off the cliff and landed next to Hinata. Pain went shooting up his legs as soon as he hit the ground, but he ignored and headed straight for Hinata's motionless body.

He bent over and held her head in his hands. There was a steady stream of blood coming from the back of her head. But Hinata's face bugged Naruto the most. She fell off a cliff and was sitting here in a pool of her own blood, but she had a big smile on her face. Naruto hoped that that kiss would not be Hinata's last.

Naruto slung Hinata onto his back and raced towards the hospital. As he was running, Hinata's head bounced onto his shoulder and rolled beside his face. Tears filled Naruto's eyes. This was the exact position he had carried her in when he had brought her back to her house after that day at the lake.

_Thanks for the best day ever. _Hinata's voice slipped through Naruto's head and his heart lurched. He remembered all the things they had done together. He hadn't realized it, but over the past few weeks, Hinata had become his best friend.

Tears slid off Naruto's cheek as he increased his pace._ Hinata is one of the most important people to me! I won't let her die!_

Barely a moment later, Naruto burst through the hospital doors. "I NEED A DOCTOR!" Shizune emerged from a nearby door.

"Hey Naruto, back already? That must be a record!" Shizune smiled at her joke, but the smile soon faded when she saw the bleeding girl on Naruto's back.

"Get a nurse! NOW!" Shizune barked out. "Get me a room! Prepare for emergency treatment!"

A nurse took Hinata off of Naruto's back and placed her on a stretcher. She then wheeled Hinata down the hall and into a empty room. Naruto followed after them. When he entered the room, there were already several nurses healing Hinata's injury.

Naruto sat in a chair just outside Hinata's room and waited for the nurses to be done. A few minutes later, a nurse approached Naruto.

"We are finished now. You can come in."

Naruto held his breathe as he entered the room. Shizune noticed his worry and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. She is stable."

Naruto sighed with relief.

Shizune's hand gripped Naruto's shoulder. "But… the impact to her head was quite hard. We are not sure about the damage to her brain. She has post traumatic amnesia, which means she has lost her memory of before the accident. Amnesia is a very tricky…"

Shizune's voice faded and the world around Naruto became hazy. _She has amnesia? Does that mean she won't remember me? _Fear gripped Naruto's heart.

Naruto reached down and grabbed Hinata's hand. It felt warm. She still smelled the same. To him, Hinata was still Hinata. But in her eyes, would he still be Naruto?

"Are you listening, Naruto? I said Amnesia is very tricky. Sometimes they only forget certain things. For example, it is possible that she will remember your face, but not her father's. Also, amnesia is not always permanent. If she can recover her memory within 24 hours she should return to normal. However, if she can't recover her memory there is not much we can do to help her."

Naruto gripped Hinata's hand tighter. "Don't worry Shizune. I will return her memory. I swear on my life."

"Then I'll leave it to you." Shizune said as she walked out of the room.

For hours Naruto waited there, holding Hinata's hand, when Hinata began to open her eyes.

"Ugh…. What happened? Where am I?" Hinata mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.

Naruto smiled happily. "You are at the hospital. You fell off a cliff and I brought you here."

Hinata opened her eyes fully and stared at Naruto.

"Thank you. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. You can ask me anything," Naruto said with a huge grin on his face.

"What is your name?" Hinata asked, frowning.

Naruto's grin slid off his face. "W-What?"

"Who are you?" Hinata asked again.

"I-It's me. Naruto! Don't you remember me?"

Hinata shook her head. "I've never even seen you before."

Naruto sighed. He had hoped she would remember him. Still, Shizune said her memory can be recovered and that is exactly what Naruto intended to do.

Naruto sat beside Hinata. "My name is Naruto."

Hinata nodded. "And what's my name?"

Naruto sighed again. This was going to be hard. "Your name is Hinata. Hinata Hyuuga. You are the precious heiress to the Hyuuga main branch."

"W-What? You have got to be joking."

Naruto frowned. "I'm not. You told me all this weeks ago."

"That's impossible. I have never even met you!"

"Listen, Hinata. You fell off a cliff and you have amnesia. That's why you can't remember me… or anything else."

"N-No… NO! That's not possible!" Hinata shouted as she ran out of the room. Naruto let her run past him. She needed some time to think. However, that didn't stop him from quietly following after her, just to make sure she didn't get hurt.

As Hinata stepped out of the hospital and into the blinding light, she felt an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. As she looked around, she had no idea where she was or who any of these people were. Maybe the boy was telling the truth. Maybe she really did lose her memory.

"Hey, Hinata!"

Hinata jumped as a boy riding a huge dog suddenly landed right in front of her.

"Um..Hi…" Hinata felt some sort of familiarity with this boy, but Hinata still had no idea what his name was.

"I heard Naruto came back from his mission. You must be happy." The boy said as he slid off his giant white dog.

"Why would that make me happy?" Hinata asked.

Kiba stared at her blankly. "Hinata? Are you feeling ok?"

Suddenly, Naruto appeared from behind Hinata and grabbed her hand. "Come on, Hinata. We are going to be late! Oh, hey Kiba." Naruto pulled Hinata past Kiba and around a corner.

Kiba smirked. _So that's why she was like that… She must have a date with Naruto…_

Once Naruto had pulled Hinata out of Kiba's sight, he stopped running. Hinata blushed and yanked her hand out of Naruto's grasp. She looked up into his eyes and immediately looked away. This boy had a strange effect on her stomach. She suddenly felt like she was going to pass out.

"That was close, Hinata. You should try to avoid running into people who know you. It could cause a few problems if they find out you lost your memory."

Hinata frowned and her posture slumped. This was entirely hopeless. How could she avoid the people who knew her when she didn't even know who she knew and who she didn't!

Naruto laid a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "It's going to be all right, Hinata. The doctors said it is possible to restore your memory."

Hinata's head snapped up. "Really? How?"

Naruto frowned and scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really sure. I'd assume you would need to see things that you are familiar with. Hey! I have an idea!" Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and ran off, dragging her behind him.

After a few moments, Naruto and Hinata arrived at Ichiraku's ramen shop. They sat down and Naruto ordered two miso ramens.

"Well? Does this bring back any memories?" Naruto asked.

Hinata looked around. The warm smell of cooking food tickled her nose, but she didn't feel anything else in this place. Hinata shook her head.

Naruto slumped. "Darn. This is one of my favorite places so I figured it might be for you, too. Well I have more ideas."

Once again, Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her off. The old man came out with two steaming ramens only to find empty seats. He clenched the bowls angrily. "Damn you, NARUTO!!"

Colors, faces, and building whizzed past Hinata's eyes as Naruto dragged her through the city. Naruto dragged her to several training grounds, the docks, and lastly Hinata's Hill. Everytime Naruto dragged Hinata to a new spot, Hinata would just shake her head and Naruto would drag her off again.

Finally, Naruto took Hinata to her house. They stopped at the entrance. Naruto didn't know how to explain this situation to her father.

"So… This is where I live?" Hinata asked.

"Yep. This is the Hyuuga complex." Naruto replied.

"Hyuuga…." Hinata whispered. The name sounded foreign to her. Naruto gave her a pleading look and Hinata shook her head.

Naruto frowned. "Alright. Next, I think we should go see the Hokage." Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and tried to run off. However, Hinata stayed put.

"No. I'm tired of running around with you. I don't know you and I don't appreciate you grabbing my hand like that!" Hinata yelled as she pulled her hand out of his grasp. Naruto was speechless.

"You have done nothing but pull me around! You're just some jerk who is taking advantage of a girl who has lost her memory! Well, I'm tired of it! I'm going inside." Hinata looked up at the huge complex and tentatively stepped inside.

Naruto's mouth had hit the ground. Her words stung him almost as if she had slapped him. He couldn't believe this was happening. Where had he gone wrong?

Meanwhile, Hinata got lost in the huge complex. Fortunately, Neji happened to notice her.

"Hello, Hinata. Are you feeling well? You look rather pale." Neji said as he walked up to Hinata.

Hinata smiled to herself. She had just thought of a brilliant plan. "No. I'm feeling sick. Can you take me to my room."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Um.. Alright." Neji directed Hinata to her room and went off to train with Hiashi.

Hinata entered her room and shut the door behind her. She took a deep breathe and searched around her room for something she recognized. However, nothing seemed familiar. The room looked completely new to her. She thrust herself upon the bed in frustration. Hinata's ears perked up as something crinkled under the pillow.

Hinata sat up and investigated.

Underneath the pillow there was an orange jacket. _Oh! This is Naruto's jacket. ….Wait…. How did I know that?_

Suddenly, memories flooded into Hinata's brain. The pain of Naruto leaving her for a three year journey. The happiness in seeing her after so long. And the sparkling ring Naruto had given her, which was still on her finger. Hinata remembered everything. Her memory had finally returned.

_Oh no. Naruto! I can't believe I said such a thing to him_! Hinata shoved the jacket under the pillow and raced back outside. Naruto was still in the same spot, his face still frozen in surprise.

"Naruto!" Hinata yelled as she jumped into Naruto's arms. "I'm so sorry!"

Naruto snapped out of his trance. "H-Hinata? Can you remember me?"

Warm, thick tears fell out of Hinata's eyes and onto Naruto's shoulder. "Yes! Yes, I remember you. How I could I possibly forget you?"

Naruto laughed. "You'd be surprised."

Hinata laughed as well. "What happened to me? Why did I forget everything?"

Naruto's smile vanished. "Well… You passed out and fell off a cliff."

"Wow. And on the day you came back from your mission."

Naruto gasped as Hinata's words sunk in. "Hinata? What is the last thing you remember?"

Hinata closed her eyes. "Um… I was running to the hospital. Kakashi told me you were back so I went to see if you were ok."

Naruto felt like passing out. She didn't remember the kiss? And if she really didn't remember… should he tell her? He knew she liked him, but what if it wasn't meant to be? What if she fell off the cliff for reason?

Naruto shook his head. He wouldn't tell her about the kiss yet, but he felt as if he should tell her how he felt about her. Again.

"Hinata… I have something to tell you." Naruto took a deep breath.

"Hey, Naruto!" Sakura shouted as she ran towards him. She held a piece of paper in her hand and was waving it frantically over her head.

Naruto sighed. Sakura didn't know it, but she had completely killed the moment. 'What is it, Sakura?" Naruto grumbled.

"Tsunade wants you and anyone else to come to her office. Ah! Hinata! You go with him. This mission needs two people.

Naruto and Hinata shared a look. Naruto sighed again. "Perfect timing." Naruto said sarcastically as he grabbed the paper from Sakura. "Come on, Hinata. Grandma Tsunade will get grouchy if we don't get there right away." Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and started to pull her along. But then Hinata's words echoed through his head. He dropped Hinata's hand.

Hinata frowned slightly. She reached over and grabbed Naruto's hand. She wormed her fingers through his and squeezed. Naruto looked back at her in surprise. Hinata smiled back at him and pulled him closer. Naruto grinned and they walked towards the Hokage's office together.

Sakura stared after them. _What's with those two? When did they get so close? _She shrugged and headed towards the hospital for her shift.

Minutes later, Naruto and Hinata were in the Hokage's office. They had stopped holding hands and were standing at attention in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Naruto Uzumaki. Hinata Hyuuga. You are hereby assigned to guard the princess of The Land of Tea Leaves. You will meet her in a small outpost several days from here. You mission is to safely escort her to nearby village for her annual blessings. You will leave as soon as possible. Is your mission clear?" Tsunade said.

"Yes, ma'm!" Naruto and Hinata shouted in unison. They left Tsunade's office and they separated to gather their packs.

Half an hour later they met at the front gates and set out on their new mission. As Naruto walked Hinata's long beautiful hair bounce as she walked, he felt like kissing her. Naruto shook his head. These thoughts would only interfere with the mission. But Hinata was making it hard for Naruto to keep his feelings suppressed. Any chance she got, she would scoot herself closer to him and wrap her hand around his.

Naruto loved holding her hand. He knew her hand almost as well as he knew his own. It was soft and smooth and it sent Naruto's stomach for loops every time he touched it. However, even more than he loved holding her hand, he loved seeing her smile. Her smile was like the sun. Her face just seemed to glow whenever he looked at her.

Naruto shook his head. A mission with just him and her…. All alone. This was going to be one of the hardest missions he had ever been on.

"So… Naruto… What happened on your mission to find Orochimaru?"

Naruto grinned. "I kicked his butt! That's what happened!"

Hinata giggled and listened patiently as Naruto told his story. "Lee had run back for the village and I was all alone against one of the Sannin! But I wasn't afraid! He thought he had me with his snake jutsus, but I nailed him right in the stomach! He was so injured he ran away!"

Hinata had always enjoyed his stories. It gave her some insight into his life and he always seemed so happy when he was telling them.

For what seemed like hours, Naruto and Hinata walked down the dusty road, holding hands. Hinata couldn't have been happier. She didn't know what she had done to make Naruto want to hold her hand, but she didn't care. As long as he was beside her, nothing could get her down.

They continued to talk until the sun began to set.

"Hey, Hinata? Let's set up camp soon. It's easy to get lost in this place when it's dark."

From the distance, a long wolf's howl echoed throughout the forest. Naruto whimpered and clung onto Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata smiled to herself. "Sure, Naruto. We can set up right over there." Hinata pointed to a large patch of soft, green grass. The patch was surrounded by several other groves of bright and colorful flowers. As Hinata got closer, she realized they were lavenders.

Naruto threw himself onto the soft grass. "This is great. We won't even have to set up the tent!" Naruto sniffed the air deeply. "I love that smell. It always reminds me of you." Naruto reached out and plucked a strand of lavender. He held it up to his nose and inhaled its scent.

Hinata blushed and sat next to him. The idea of sleeping next to Naruto, under the beautiful starry sky, and surrounded by lavender sounded like heaven.

Naruto sighed happily. "It's always nice to have a good friend with you at times like these." Naruto spoke with a slight slur. His eyes were closed and he was almost asleep.

Hinata perked up at his words. "Close friends?"

Naruto smiled. "More than that. You're my best friend. No… Even more than that…" Naruto dazed off with the thought of their kiss in his mind.

Hinata sat there, frozen, for a while after Naruto had fallen asleep. His words bounced around in her head.

_Best friend….More that that…_

Hinata put her face in her hands. Could he mean 'Girlfriend'? Hinata wanted to squeal in delight, but she held it in for fear of waking Naruto.

Hinata shivered as a gust of wind breezed past her. She laid back down beside Naruto, their elbows almost touching.

Surprisingly, Hinata was no longer cold. The heat coming off Naruto was amazing! Hinata curled her body against him. Even with the cold winds, Hinata wouldn't even need a blanket if she slept this close to Naruto.

Suddenly, Naruto rolled over and his arm fell over Hinata. He pulled his arm in putting her back against his chest. It was like Naruto was hugging her from the back.

Hinata looked back and laughed quietly when she saw Naruto's face. His eyes were closed. He was still asleep. Hinata threw caution to the winds and moved her body closer to his. She intertwined her fingers around his and closed her eyes.

The smell of lavender relaxed Hinata and she quickly fell asleep.

Hours later, Hinata began to dream. She dreamed she was standing next to Naruto, confessing all of her feelings for him. Then, Naruto was kissing her. And it was a great kiss. Hinata was the happiest person in the world. Suddenly, Hinata was falling….

"AH!" Hinata shouted as she awoke. She looked around and saw Naruto sleeping next to her. "It was just a dream…" Hinata sighed and laid back down next to Naruto. She rested her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat. Hinata felt her own heart match pace with his and she smiled to herself. Their two hearts were one. They were connected. Hinata closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep.

The next morning, Naruto awoke with a sense of serenity. Every inch of his body was relaxed and warm. Suddenly, his brain registered an extra source of heat on his chest and he looked down.

Naruto gasped as he saw Hinata. He was lying on his back and Hinata was lying on top of him with her head resting on his chest.

Naruto started to shift her off of him, but the sight of her sleeping face stopped him cold.

_She's beautiful…_

Naruto laid there for quite a while, just staring at her face. His hand, acting on its own accord, reached up and softly stroked her cheek.

The contact woke Hinata and she looked up into his eyes. They eyes locked and time stood still. The rest of the world faded away and they became lost in each other's eyes. Naruto felt his body leaning forward to kiss her.

Both their faces exploded with color and Hinata jumped off him. They shuffled away from each other and stood back to back.

_Say something_! Hinata said to herself.

"Um…" They both said in unison. They both blushed again.

"Go ahead." Naruto said.

"You're really warm… and I …uh.. I didn't want to unpack the blankets…" Hinata mumbled.

Naruto laughed. "It's not a problem. I-It actually felt…good." Now it was Naruto's turn to blush.

Hinata smiled warmly and grabbed her pack. Naruto ruffled his hair. "That was my first time sleeping without my hat."

Hinata giggled. She wondered why he hadn't bothered to put it on last night. Did it have something to do with her?

Naruto walked over to her. "Does my hair look ok?"

Hinata smiled. "It's a little messy. Here." Hinata reached over and fluffed his hair into place. It wasn't until she was done that Hinata realized what she had just done and blushed a deep crimson.

Naruto was oblivious of course. He smiled widely. "Thanks, Hinata." Then, he frowned. 'Your hair is also a little messy." Naruto reached over and combed Hinata's long hair with his fingers.

"Wow… Hinata… It's sooo soft." Suddenly, Naruto's fingers caught a small knot and Hinata's head was pulled back a little.

"I'm sorry! I guess my chest wasn't a good pillow…" Naruto joked.

"Yes it was! That was the most comfortable sleep I've ever had." Hinata blushed deeper as the words left her mouth.

Naruto laughed loudly. "Me too. My bed at home stinks." Naruto pulled Hinata close and hugged her. "You're so soft. I'll never ever need a tent again!"

Hinata was silent. The idea of sleeping with Naruto again and his warm hug had caused an meltdown in her brain. And as she felt his hard muscles through his shirt, a mental picture of what Naruto would look like shirtless wormed its way into her head.

Naruto's arms fell to his sides and he stepped back from the hug. He grabbed his pack and began to walk towards the path.

Hinata shook her head, clearing her thoughts and followed after him. Suddenly, her dream from last night entered her head. She wondered what it could possibly mean. Was it a sign? Or was it just some hopeless fantasy? Hinata shook her head and focused back on Naruto.

She really wanted to have another conversation with him, but she didn't know what to say and Naruto wasn't saying anything. The silence was killing her.

"So… Naruto… Do you know where we are supposed to meet the princess?" Hinata finally managed to say.

"Yep. Jiraiya and me went through the Land Of Tea Leaves of few times on our journey. It's a pretty small place, but the people there are nice. In fact, it's where I bought that ring." Naruto said as he pointed towards the ring he had given Hinata.

Hinata blushed slightly and held up the ring to the light. The crystal quickly turned into a light shade of lavender.

"It's beautiful." Hinata whispered. "It's the best gift I have ever gotten. Thank you."

Naruto blushed slightly and scratched the back of his head. "It was nothing. After all, I couldn't just come back without a souvenir."

Hinata giggled. "That's just like you. Always thinking about everyone else. Are you ever selfish?"

Naruto laughed. "Isn't it selfish of me to be always taking up your spare time?"

"No! Anytime I'm not spending with you is a waste of time in my opinion." Hinata said honestly.

Naruto was stunned. Hinata had already confessed her feelings, she just couldn't remember. He knew Hinata liked him, but he felt it would be wrong to take advantage of that knowledge. But why couldn't he just confess to her?

Naruto had tried several times to tell her, but he couldn't find the right words. He had never been afraid of anything. So why now? Why was he afraid of confessing?

The two continued on their journey in silence. Both of them wanting to say something, but neither of them knew what to say.

Again, the sun started to set.

"We need to find some shelter. It looks like rain." Naruto said as he looked up at the overcast sky.

Hinata activated her Byuakugan. "There is a cave about three hundred meters that way."

"Sounds good." Naruto and Hinata ran towards the cave as small raindrops began to fall.

Moments later, they were inside the cave with a blaring fire. Outside the sky was pouring rain.

Naruto and Hinata were seated near the fire trying to dry their damp clothes.

"Hey, Naruto? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Hinata blushed. "W-Who was your first kiss….?"

Naruto blushed as well. "Uh… well it was by accident… but Sasuke and I ….uh… you know.."

Hinata laughed. "That doesn't count. Have you kissed a girl?"

Naruto was silent for a few moments. The suspense was killing Hinata.

"Do you really want to know?" Naruto asked softly.

"Yeah… I really want to know…"

Naruto took a deep breathe. "My first kiss with a girl was with you."

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**Yeah baby! That was a long chapter! I think it was my longest so far! I hope you guys have enjoyed my ideas so far and don't worry, NaruHina moments are going to be big in the next chapter!!!! Please remember to review!!**


	25. A Flower in the Rain

Hey guys! I told you that I would publish this within a week! And it's a good thing too because I haven't posted a Sunflowers chapter in like two months! I can hardly even remember where I left off! But I don't think that will be happening again. I should be able to start posting chapters at least twice a month. And another thing, any staff members in my C2 please feel free to add whatever good stories you please. I haven't had the time to manage it. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter and don't forget to review!

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"M-Me?" Hinata asked as her breath caught in her throat. She felt as if she were drowning. "W-What do you m-mean? I don't remember a k-kiss…."

Naruto frowned. "That's the thing… You lost your memory right afterwards. We kissed and then you fell off the cliff. I'm so sorry, Hinata."

Hinata's eyes filled with tears and it became harder to breathe. She couldn't believe it. She had kissed the man she loved and she couldn't even remember it? Just what had happened? A flood of emotions burst into Hinata. Anger, pity, confusion, pain, and fear all mixed into an overpowering despair and Hinata was overcome by it. Tears poured down her face and she turned away and ran out of the cave.

"Hinata! Where are you going?" Naruto shouted and chased after her. But it was too late. He had lost sight of her and with this heavy rain, tracking her would be impossible. Naruto's face was soaked with a mix of rain and tears. Why did it have to come to this? However, Naruto refused to give up. He dried his eyes and ran into the dark forest.

The heavy rain only darkened Hinata's depression. Her long wet hair was sticking to her face and Hinata could barely see where she was running, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from this pain. _Why did I run away? Why am I always such a coward? _There was a sudden flash of lightning followed by an extremely loud crack of thunder as the rain only got heavier.

Hinata was so emotionally distraught that she paid no attention to her surroundings or the thick tree roots next to her feet. She just kept running forward as the tears continued to fall down her face. Unfortunately, running is a feat that requires good hand-foot coordination, especially when you're running in a dark forest. Because of this, Hinata's foot got stuck in a tree root and she sprawled into the wet dirt.

Hinata laid there for a minute consumed with self-pity. What was wrong with her? Why was she running away from the person she loved? She had kissed Naruto! She should be happy! But then why was she overcome with this feeling of despair?

Hinata stood up and rubbed the mud from her shirt and face. She looked down and realized that the ring Naruto had given her was covered in mud. Suddenly the tears started falling heavier than ever. The ring was tangible proof that Naruto cared for her and now those feelings were buried beneath the mud. It was like someone had slapped Hinata and she suddenly came to her senses.

She was only making this situation worse by running away! Sure, she had missed out on her first kiss and it had even been with Naruto! But that wasn't so bad. There were plenty of opportunities to kiss him again. In fact, that's why she was going to do! She was going to walk right back to that cave and demand a kiss from Naruto!

Hinata shook her head. There was no way she could be that forward. But she knew that she might be able to get one if she walked back to the cave and talked to Naruto about it. That is… if it wasn't too late…. She suddenly realized that she could have really hurt Naruto by running off like that.

Hinata slapped herself. This wasn't the time for thoughts like that! It was time to go back to the cave and apologize to Naruto and hopefully get a kiss!

Suddenly, there was a rustling in a bush next to Hinata. The was a twang of fear in Hinata's stomach as two men came out from behind the bushes.

"Well,well,well. What do we have here? A little kunochi all by herself in the middle of a forest. How about we help you get home, little girl?" The man said in a snide manner which indicated that he intended to do no such good deed. The other man snickered and took a step towards Hinata. It was clear that walking Hinata home was the last thing on these men's minds.

Hinata's already weakened spirit couldn't seem to gather the energy to fight back. Hinata knew the only option she had left was a bluff.

"You really shouldn't mess with me. I am a well trained kunochi from the Hidden Leaf Village. And my b-b-boyfriend is a very strong ninja. He should be here any minute and he will be very angry if he sees you two trying to hurt me." Hinata said, her voice growing stronger than she had expected. Hinata thought it was a pretty believable bluff.

Both men started laughing and Hinata's stomach dropped. "We know all about your little boyfriend. And believe me, he won't be coming to help you. He running in the wrong direction and he probably won't realize it until this rain stops. You see, we have been watching you since you entered the forest. It has been a while since we have had such a 'gifted' girl wander into the forest." The man's eyes wandered up and down Hinata's body. Hinata gasped and held her arms over her chest. The man chuckled. "We have a really special night planned for you."

Hinata slide into her Jyuuken stance. However, she couldn't see herself winning. It was two against one and the men seemed very formidable. But Hinata wouldn't let herself give up. Naruto was her hero after all.

Suddenly, two kunai whirled past Hinata's head and headed straight for the two ninjas' heads. The men barely managed to dodge the incoming kunai. They looked around frantically and tried to spot their attacker.

The dark sky opened up a sliver and a beam of light shone down upon the stranger. The man was probably in his twenties. He was dressed in a red kimono and he had a red band tied around his head. He looked ridiculous. However, the two men were not laughing at the stranger's ridiculous outfit. Their faces displayed only fear.

"Holy crap! It's the 'Crimson Tiger' from the Land of Tea Leaves! Run for it! That busty chick isn't worth all this!" Both men turned tail and ran off.

Hinata looked up at her rescuer and realized it had stopped raining. "T-Thank you."

The man glared at her. "Don't even mention it. It wasn't even worth my time. You're lucky that I was passing through this area."

Hinata frowned. Was this man trying to be rude on purpose? But…he did save her so she owed him her respect. "Thank you again, sir. M-May I ask your name?"

The man walked right past Hinata without even glancing at her. "No, you may not." He said as he walked off.

Hinata almost let the jerk go. Good riddance. However, something occurred to Hinata. She turned around and chased after the man.

"Excuse me! Mister!"

The man sighed and kept walking, but he did slow his pace, allowing Hinata to catch up with him.

"I couldn't help but overhear that you are from the L-Land of Tea Leaves… a-and I was wondering if you could help me with s-something."

"Nice stutter, girl. It is very attractive." The man said sarcastically. Hinata was deeply embarrassed and insulted, but she held her tongue because the man had saved her.

"Y-Yes… I was wondering if…. Um…if y-you… uh…" Hinata's voice broke. Why did this man make her feel like a child?

"Good God, child! Spit it out!" The man turned and for the first time looked Hinata in the eyes. At once the man's demeanor changed. "Oh… Wait! I'm sorry! Listen… could you do me a big favor?"

Hinata was stunned. What just happened?

"I noticed that you are a Hyuuga and I was hoping you could use your Byakugan to help me locate someone." The man grabbed onto Hinata's shoulders and Hinata noticed a frantic look in his eye. The man was a jerk and a total weirdo, but the kind side of Hinata couldn't ignore someone in need.

"S-Sure. But you have to help me out afterwards, OK?"

"Sure,sure. Just start looking already!" The man demanded.

Hinata sighed and activated her Byakugan. "What am I supposed to be looking for?"

"A young lady. A little bit older than you."

Hinata searched around in all directions and noticed two people standing only a few hundred yards away. One was a female that matched the man's description and the other was a male that seemed all too familiar to Hinata. Hinata felt a surge of happiness as she recognized Naruto. She immediately wanted to run over to him. But she kept her cool. She figured that by leading this man to the girl she would be killing two birds with one stone.

Meanwhile, Naruto had walked into a strange girl while searching for Hinata. It turned out she was looking for someone as well and the two decided to search together.

"So… Naruto, was it? What is it like in your village?" The girl asked.

Naruto smiled as he thought back to his village and the many memories it entailed. "It's a great place,Tsubame. And one day I will be the Hokage and lead over it."

The girl chuckled. "You know, I heard that being a leader isn't all that much fun. You have the pressure of protecting everyone in your village. Not to mention all the paperwork you have to do. And as a plus, you have ninja from other villages who want you dead."

Naruto frowned. "I know. I have seen all that firsthand and believe me, I don't want to have to deal with it either. But I promised myself that I would be Hokage someday and nothing will stop me from reaching that goal!"

Tsubame smiled. _He is going to be a great leader someday._

"Tsubame!" The man cried as burst through several bushes. Hinata wasn't far behind.

"Hento!" Tsubame exclaimed as she ran to the man and embraced him. "I was so worried about you!"

Hento laughed. "_You_ were worried about _me_? It's my job to protect you! Never leave my side again!"

Tsubame smiled. "Of course. Oh! And who is this cutie that you have with you?"

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled out as he ran past the embracing pair to hug Hinata. Hinata was surprised at the sudden display of affection, but she was happy to be able to hold him in her arms.

"Hello, N-Naruto." Hinata blushed as she realized that they had an audience.

Tsubame giggled. "Now isn't that the cutest thing that you ever saw, Hento?"

Hento sighed. "Whatever you say, Tsubame."

Both Naruto and Hinata blushed a shade of red deeper than Hento's shirt. They quickly pulled apart and stood an arm's distance away from each other.

Tsubame smiled at them. "They remind me of a certain couple. Don't you think, Hento?" Hento blushed slightly and cleared his throat.

Naruto and Hinata shared a glance and their blushes grew deeper. They had just been compared to a couple. They were both oblivious to the blushing couple in front of them.

"Anyways…" Tsubame said bringing everyone back to reality. "What brings you two to this side of the forest?"

"We are ninjas from the Hidden Leaf Village. We were assigned to come to the Land of Tea Leaves and escort the princess."

Hento scoffed. "You have got to be kidding me." Tsubame elbowed him in the side.

"Am I missing something?" Naruto asked.

"I am that princess." Tsubame said with a flourish.

"What?" Naruto and Hinata exclaimed in unison.

"Yup. I am Tsubame, princess of the Land of Tea Leaves. And this man here is Hento, my personal guard."

Hento nodded. "That's right. And that's why we don't need your help anymore. I can protect her just fine by myself. So you and your chesty girlfriend can just go back to whatever hellhole you came from."

"It doesn't work like that." Naruto said. "Once we take a mission we have to see it through until the end." Naruto then stepped closer to Hento and lowered his voice so no one else but Hento could hear. "And if you ever insult Hinata or my village again, I will kill you myself. Got it?" Naruto then stepped back and stood next to Hinata.

Hento smiled. _This kid has spunk_. Hento found himself almost hoping that he would have an opportunity to fight Naruto.

I guess there is nothing that can be done about it. We will all just have to travel together! The village when my blessings will occur isn't too far away. We should get there by tomorrow morning." Tsubame said, bringing everyone out of their thoughts. "I think it's time we started walking." Tsubame started walking deeper into the forest. Hento gave Naruto one last look and followed after his princess. Hinata grabbed Naruto's hand and smiled. Naruto was surprised and confused, but he was glad Hinata was back to normal. The two followed after Tsubame and Hento, hand in hand.

Nobody spoke for several minutes. They just kept walking in awkward silence. Tsubame was getting annoyed at the lack of conversation. And there was something she had been dying to talk about.

"Hey, Hinata! Come over here for a minute." Tsubame said. Hinata increased her pace to catch up with Tsubame. Naruto refused to let go of her hand so he came too.

Tsubame smiled. "I don't think so, Naruto. This is a girls only conversation. Go walk with Hento."

Naruto frowned. But Hinata gave him a warm smile and nodded. Naruto understood. However, he practically had to pry his hand out of Hinata's. Neither hand wanted to let go. Once his hand was free he turned around and went over to Hento, who was walking several yards behind the girls. It was far enough away that they couldn't hear the girls' conversation, but they could still maintain eyesight and make sure they were safe.

"Your girlfriend get tired of looking at your ugly mug?" Hento chuckled.

"Shut up." Naruto was already in a foul mood. He wasn't going to take any of Hento's crap.

Meanwhile, Hinata was getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like the way this "girls only" conversation sounded. And she defiantly wasn't happy about having to let go of Naruto's hand. The cold breeze felt awkward on her hand and she missed the warmth of Naruto's hand.

"So…Hinata? How long have you two been dating?" Tsubame said with a smirk.

Hinata's head snapped up. "W-What? Me and N-Naruto aren't d-dating!"

Tsubame gasped dramatically. "What?! You two aren't dating? I just assumed you two were because of ….well… You two are way too close to be just friends."

Hinata smiled and blushed slightly. "Y-Yeah… We _are_ pretty close, I guess."

Tsubame noticed Hinata's blush and suddenly burst out in a fit of giggles. "Ohmigosh! I can't believe I didn't see it before! I'm such an idiot!"

Hinata was confused. "W-What?"

Tsubame glanced back at Naruto to make sure he was out of earshot. She then turned back to Hinata and giggled again. Hinata was starting to get annoyed.

"You have a crush on Naruto!" Tsubame managed to say between giggles.

Hinata's face exploded in color. "Wha… B-But… N-No…. It's not like that… I …uh…." Hinata sighed. What was the point in hiding it anymore? "What gave it away?" Hinata asked with a weak smile.

Tsubame smiled. "Oh it's obvious, dear."

Hinata nearly tripped. "It's o-obvious?" Hinata looked back at Naruto and he gave her a big, warm smile.

"Unfortunately. But I do have some special advice for you. You see, I was in your position once. You ready?" Tsubame leaned over closer to Hinata as if she was about to tell her the world's greatest secret.

Hinata gulped.

"Show some skin, girl!" Tsubame said loudly, completely ruining the purpose of leaning in to whisper and nearly shattering Hinata's eardrum.

Hinata was shocked, of course. "What! I couldn't do t-that!"

"Oh yes you could! Trust me, it works. And if you some him the goods, he will follow you around like a lost puppy." Tsubame eyed Hinata's large chest. "And with _your _goods I think you are going to get much more than that out of him."

Hinata's face had turned a deep shade of crimson. There was no way Hinata could expose herself like that! But… Tsubame might have a point. Maybe her plan could work………….

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Well this chapter wasn't as long as I wanted it to be but I decided to split the Tsubame arc into two chapters. Anyways I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Sunflowers in two months! A love Hinata chapter should be out soon. And if you haven't done so already, please check out my other stories. And don't forget to review! Tallman0029 loves people who review!


	26. Hot Springs

**Hey! I'm finally taking some time to post a new chapter to Sunflowers! I was reading the story to catch myself up with my earlier ideas and I was soooo surprised to find that my first few chapters totally SUCKED! So I decided to edit and revise Sunflowers a bit and so far I have only fixed one chapter. I then combined chapter one with chapter two to make it a bit longer. I was then quite dismayed to find out that when I had deleted that chapter I had also deleted all the reviews and hits that were on that chapter. Total bummer. I will continue to edit my story, however, short chapters will have to remain rather short. Anyways… I would appreciate it if you guys would take some time to intermittently check up on Sunflowers and read my revised chapters as I post them! Thank you and if the sudden change in chapter numbers is not allowing you to review then please send me a private message instead.**

**I realize that I ended the last chapter with quite a risqué thought. I then went on to write Love Hinata so you can see how those thoughts progressed. But I do not intend to include much adult humor in this story. So I will be getting all that stuff out of the way with this chapter. Unless you guys want me to include a lemon scene later on. Please let me know your thoughts in a review! I'm at 605 reviews but I'm not going to quit until I'm at 1000! Here is the new chapter!**

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"Show some s-skin?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

Tsubame smiled. "The key to attracting men is to use what you have. Even a flat chested girl can be sexy if she plays to her advantages. Sex appeal is all in the mind."

Hinata blushed. This girl was too forward and yet… something about her just seemed to say that she knew what she was talking about. "I don't understand… what do you mean playing to her advantages?"

Tsubame's brow crinkled in thought. "Okay… I'm going to use a base example. A 'well endowed' girl like yourself has incredible cleavage. It would be to your benefit to wear a low cut shirt to show off your cleavage. Me, on the other hand…" Tsubame held her hands up to her small chest. "I don't have any cleavage. If I were to wear the same exposing shirt, it would only accentuate my apparent lack of chest. Instead a tight, curve-hugging shirt would be much better. In this case, sexy is not about what you can see, it's about what you_ can't_ see."

Hinata was beginning to understand. "So… by showing skin, you actually mean…"

Tsubame smiled. "Right. Don't actually expose yourself. By just showing only a small amount of skin you are reminding him of all the skin you _aren't _showing. His curiosity to see more is what 'sexy' comes from."

Hinata's brain felt fried. All this talk of sex appeal was almost too much for her to handle. "B-But what about when he actually does…"

Tsubame giggled. "You're still too shy with your body, Hinata. Tell me this, what is the difference between your hand and your foot?"

Hinata frowned. What kind of question was that? "Well… uh…"

"There isn't that much of a difference." Tsubame interrupted. "They are both made of skin and muscle and cells. They have a different purpose for the body, I suppose, but that's hardly relevant. Now what about this, what is the difference between your hands and your breasts?"

Hinata gasped as a blush creep across her face.

"Exactly. They are made up of the exact same material and, aside from their purpose, there is virtually no difference. So why should they be treated different in your mind. Are you as likely to walk around shirtless are you are gloveless? Is showing a bare hand the same as showing a bare breast? Physically it is, but mentally it is not. Do you know why, Hinata?"

Hinata shook her head.

"Because someone, sometime in your childhood, told you so. Because society taught you that it was inappropriate. But what if you were born alone? Out here in the forest? If you had no idea what clothes were, would you still feel naked?"

"I guess not…" Hinata said with a growing confidence.

"So why should your breasts or that thing between his legs," Tsubame pointed a thumb over her shoulder towards Naruto. "be treated any differently than your hands?"

"Wow… You're right…" Hinata said staring at her hands. Everything she was saying made perfect sense, but still…

"How do you know all this?" Hinata asked turning to look at Tsubame.

Tsubame smiled. "I wasn't always a princess, Hinata. But I grew up being treated like one. I grew up around several other girls who never stopped worrying about their figure. And let me tell you, a confident girl is an attractive girl. You have to use what you have. There is no point in trying to be like someone you're not."

Hinata was amazed by Tsubame. Hinata had spent her whole life being groomed to be the perfect heiress. She had always been so shy and unwilling to express herself. But Tsubame made it seem like expressing herself was as easy as breathing. She was almost identical to Naruto….

Meanwhile, Naruto was grudgingly walking beside Hento. Frankly, Hento's ridiculous red striped outfit was creeping Naruto out. He felt like a beacon just by walking next to it. Also, Hento keep looking around and shifting his walking speed. It was like he was anticipating an ambush. And that was making Naruto nervous as well.

"Hey…" Naruto said, breaking the silence. "Are you paranoid or something?"

"Brat. Why do you think you were hired? If this was some casual stroll through the forest why would we need bodyguards? A enemy attack could come from any direction at any time…"

Naruto looked up ahead towards Hinata and Tsubame. "Is your girlfriend that important?"

"She is not my girlfriend. She merely referred to us as a couple as a joke. She is a princess and I am her personal guard." However, the emotions running across his face were a clear contradiction to his words.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." Naruto said, not interested in hearing about the jerk's love life. "Anyways… What makes her so important? I mean, why is she important enough that someone would want her dead?"

Hento sighed. "Tsubame was one of many candidates to succeed the previous princess. She was raised among the other candidates, but it was very unlikely that she would ever become the next princess. The other candidates came from much more prestigious families and were highly recommended. However, the previous princess chose Tsubame to succeed her. This broke many traditions, but the princess held her ground and no one challenged her. Tsubame eventually became the new princess, but not everyone was happy about it. I wouldn't put it past some of the other families to hire a ninja squad to take out Tsubame so their child could rule instead."

"So if it was going to cause all this trouble why did the princess choose Tsubame?"

"Who knows? Some say it was bribery or extortion. Some say Tsubame reminded the princess of a long lost friend. But I believe it is because the princess saw something in Tsubame that she didn't see in any of the other candidates."

"And what's that?" Naruto asked after a moment of silence.

"The ability to lead." Hento said proudly.

"Hey! Get up here, you two! We're almost to the village!" Tsubame shouted behind her.

Hento kept speaking as he and Naruto raced to catch up with Tsubame and Hinata. "This village is still part of the Land of Tea Leaves. It is the hometown of the previous princess which would explain their loyalty to the last princess and her chosen protégé, Tsubame. We shouldn't run into any trouble here."

Naruto allowed himself to relax a little. Being around Hento was making him tense. This guy never let his guard down.

As Naruto got closer, Hinata turned her head and gave him a brief smile. Naruto's heart flooded with warmth and his skin prickled with goosebumps. He loved the way her eyes would crinkle when she smiled. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and hold her tight to his chest. But he reigned back his desire and settled for just walking next to her. They both reached for each other's hands at the exact same time. Their fingers interlocked and Naruto returned Hinata's smile. Now it was Hinata's turn to break out in goosebumps.

"Well, well! You two sure made up fast!" Tsubame said with a huge grin.

Naruto and Hinata blushed, but their hands stayed interlocked. And they stayed like that all the way to the village's front gates.

"We have arrived." Hento stated with a polite nod to the gate's guards.

The guard nodded and waved his hand to another guard. "All clear! Open the gates!"

There was a loud clicking sound and the large front gates began to slowly open. Naruto inhaled sharply as he recognized the small village.

"Wait a minute! This is _that _village?" Naruto exclaimed incredulously

Hinata frowned and studied the village. Besides the large front gates and a small amount of buildings, there was nothing outstanding about this village. What did Naruto mean?

"That village?" Hinata asked. Tsubame and Hento also seemed to be confused.

Naruto grinned. "It's a surprise! I want to show you something!"

Tsubame's eye twinkled with mischief as she misunderstood Naruto's excitement. "Yes… The hot springs here are quite incredible. And since it's such a small village there are hardly ever any people in them. Why don't you two take some time to yourself to check the village out? I have to check in with the Village Elder anyways."

"Sure thing!" Naruto said as he grabbed Hinata's hand and ran off. Hinata blushed deeply and allowed herself to be dragged along by Naruto. Tsubame's words about her body bounced around in her head as she imagined herself at the hot springs…

Tsubame giggled. "Look at those two, Hento. Were we ever like that?" She gripped Hento's hand and squeezed tightly.

"I don't think we were ever that clueless." Hento said as he gazed into Tsubame's eyes.

"I guess you're right… Those two still don't fully understand their feelings. But I'm sure they will someday. They might just need a little push in the right direction." Tsubame grabbed Hento and pulled him close. "We are finally alone…"

Hento frowned. "What about checking in with the Village Elder?"

Tsubame smiled coyly. "Who?"

"The Village Eld-…. Oh." Hento smiled as he figured it out. "You little vixen."

"Why, thank you! Now, come here!" Tsubame said pulling Hento closer.

Meanwhile, Naruto was dragging Hinata past several little kiosk style shops. He finally stopped in front of a tiny shop that was managed by a very elderly woman. There were all kinds of junk on her shelves. There were assorted seashells and rocks as well as many different kinds of strange flowers.

"Hello, Grandma Giselle!" Naruto beamed

The elderly woman looked up and gasped. "N-Naruto? Is that really you?"

"Sure is!" Naruto said scooping the tiny woman into a big huge.

"It's so great to see you, Naruto! Hm?" Giselle perked up as she noticed Hinata standing behind Naruto. "Now who is this, Naruto? I didn't know you had a girlfriend…"

Hinata blushed deeply. "I'm n-not-"

"This is Hinata Hyuuga!" Naruto interrupted slinging an arm around Hinata.

Giselle smirked as she suddenly grabbed Hinata's hand. "Oh… I get it now."

Hinata was confused. She was happy to be mistaken for Naruto's girlfriend, but there was something she was missing.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "This is where I bought that ring." Naruto pointed to the lavender ring on Hinata's hand.

Hinata gasped and looked down at the elderly woman. The woman nodded with a bright smile. Hinata immediately bent down in a deep bow. "Thank you so much, ma'am! This ring is my most precious possession!"

Giselle chuckled. "It's my pleasure, my dear. But I don't think I'm the one you should be thanking."

"Oh, she has thanked me more than enough. Believe me!" Naruto laughed.

"One more time wouldn't hurt." Giselle said turning to Hinata.

Hinata smiled and turned towards Naruto. "Thank you so much, Naruto." She leaned forward and softly kissed him on the cheek.

Naruto blushed and mumbled, "You're welcome."

Giselle smiled warmly. _My, my… she is in love with him… I don't think I have seen anyone with eyes as pure as hers._

"Naruto, you are one lucky man." Giselle said softly.

"Hm? Did you say something, Granny?" Naruto said as he tore his gaze from Hinata's smiling face.

"I was wondering what brought you two down here to this tiny village?"

"We are on a mission! We are escorts for the princess!" Naruto said proudly.

Giselle froze. "The princess, you say? That is indeed interesting…" Giselle turned around and began organizing the junk on her selves.

"Granny?"

"Oh? You two are still here? Surely you must be bored of this old women and her meager stall. You two should go find something more interesting to do!"

"You're not _that _old, Granny!" Naruto said with a chuckle.

Giselle laughed and gave Naruto a half-hearted glare. "I'm still young enough to show a brat like you a thing or two! Now shoo before I get cranky!"

Naruto laughed and stuck his tongue out. "It was nice to see you again, Granny!" Naruto turned and walked away from the stall.

"Thank you again for the ring." Hinata said with a bow.

"Take care of him." Giselle said staring after Naruto.

Hinata nodded and followed after Naruto.

_Those two are so innocent… They really don't belong in a village like this… _Giselle shook her head and stepped back into her stall.

Moments later, Naruto and Hinata were wondering around the village looking for something to eat.

"Hey, Hinata. Do you want to go get something to eat with me?" Naruto asked as he rubbed his growling stomach.

"Y-You mean… like a d-date?" Hinata cheeks burned crimson and she began nervously tapping her fingers together.

"Sure!" Naruto smiled and offered Hinata his arm. Hinata looped her arm through his and gulped. Could this be their first real date?

"There is this ramen stand just around the block. It's not Ichiraku's but it is still pretty tasty."

Hinata felt herself deflate a little bit, but she still allowed herself to be dragged off by Naruto. _A ramen stand? That's' too casual to be a real date! _Hinata looked up at Naruto's face as he ran. There was a bright smile on his face and Hinata felt heat return to her face.

…_.Close enough, I guess._

"Hey, Mikka! Naruto said cheerfully as he seated himself in the ramen stand. Hinata followed and sat right next to Naruto.

Mikka, the ramen stand owner, was a young beautiful woman. She had long blonde hair and a slim, athletic frame.

Mikka gulped audibly. "Uh… H-Hi, Naruto…." She turned around to face him and immediately sighed with relief. "Oh! That old man isn't with you this time!"

Naruto laughed. "Nope. I was training with Pervy Sage the last time I was here, but I'm here on a mission this time!"

"Well, that's nice. What can I get you two today?" Mikka asked with a polite smile.

"Two pork and one miso!" Naruto turned towards Hinata. "Do you want anything, Hinata?"

"Just one miso for me, please."

"You got it. Two pork and two miso coming right up!" Mikka said as she went into the back to fetch the ingredients.

"Um…Naruto? Why was she so afraid of seeing Master Jiraiya?" Hinata asked although she feared she already knew the answer.

Naruto laughed awkwardly. "Uh… He was flirting with her a lot and… he might have… you know…. felt her up a little…" Naruto's voice trailed off.

"Just a little?" Hinata pried.

"Well, in Pervy Sage's defense, she did say yes to the date." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Wait. So he asked her out and then he…. you know…" Hinata blushed heavily. She could hardly even think the words.

Naruto coughed nervously. "She really shouldn't have been wearing a skirt that short…"

"What? Just what were you two up to on that trip?"

"I didn't do anything! It was all Pervy Sage!"

"Uh huh." Hinata teased.

"Really! I never did anything like that!"

Hinata laughed and stuck her tongue out. "I know."

Naruto was stunned. She was…. _teasing _him? He had no idea she could be this cute. He had never felt a stronger urge to kiss her. He probably would have too, but Mikka walked in at that exact second.

"Ramen's ready!" Mikka set the ramen bowls in front of Naruto and Hinata and smiled. "Eat up!"

"Thanks, Mikka." Naruto mumbled. She had totally killed the moment. Oh well… If Hinata wanted to play prankster, that was just fine. Two could play at that game.

Naruto slurped up a long noodle and cleared his throat. "Hey, Hinata. How about we go to the hot springs after this?"

Hinata gasped and ended up choking on her ramen. Naruto patted her back as she regained her composure.

"The h-hot springs?"

Naruto smirked. "Yeah. I didn't try them the last time I was here so I figured we could go check them out together."

Hinata gulped. "S-Sure…"

"Great!" Naruto beamed and went back to devouring his ramen.

Hinata tried to finish the rest of her ramen, but her stomach was doing backflips. Her and Naruto… in a hot spring…together? Tsubame's words echoed through her head and Hinata took a deep breath. She could do this.

Naruto slurped loudly as he polished off the last bit of his ramen. He sighed happily and got out his cash to pay for the meal

"Thanks for your time." Mikka said accepting Naruto's money. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"Uh… Actually, there is. Could you give us directions to the hot springs?" Naruto asked with a sheepish grin.

"Sure. Once you walk out of this stand, take a left and then follow that road until…"

Hinata gulped as her world grew quiet. Mikka's voice softly faded away and she was left alone with her thoughts. _Can I really do this? As long as the springs are separated there shouldn't be a problem…. But what if they are co-ed? I'm not sure if I'm ready to see his…. h-his…_

Hinata's face filled with blood as her mind wandered. However, as Naruto thanked Mikka and left the stand, Hinata snapped out of her trance and followed after him.

Moments later, the two were standing outside a small bamboo shack that lead to the steaming hot springs. Hinata sighed with relief as she saw the banner that read, "Girls Only". Strangely, a small part of her couldn't help feeling a tad disappointed.

Naruto turned to Hinata with a mischievous smile on his face. "I guess I'll see you in about an hour?" Hinata nodded and Naruto headed towards the Boys side.

As Hinata got into the changing rooms, she began to notice that she was the only one there. _This really is a small village_… Hinata thought to herself as she stripped down. She placed her clothes in a basket and headed for the showers to wash off.

Meanwhile, Naruto had also stripped and wrapped a tiny towel around his waist. _Time for payback…_ Naruto grinned evilly. He took a quick peek outside to make sure no one was watching as he dashed into the Girls Only room. He made sure Hinata was in the shower room before running into the changing room. He opened his fist and inside it he was holding a rather large worm. He picked up Hinata's jacket, but before he could do anything, the shower turned off and Naruto could hear footsteps coming his way.

Naruto panicked and quickly darted into the bathing area. He took a deep breath and dived into the hot spring. He slowly let himself rise to the surface and he stuck his ear out of the water. The footsteps were gone so he figured it was safe to climb out of the water. He still had enough time to get back to the Boys side before Hinata saw him.

However, as Naruto started to get out of the spring, he started to hear humming. It was a beautiful sound, but it was a very bad sign. Hinata was coming.

Naruto thought quickly and gathered his chakra. He mumbled "Sexy Jutsu" and he suddenly transformed into a naked blonde girl. _This is bad… _Naruto thought as he looked towards the entrance to the bathing area. There was no way he could sneak out now without Hinata seeing him. His only hope was to act natural and hope that Hinata didn't recognize him in his girl form.

The humming got louder as Hinata walked into the bathing area. She was completely naked with only a tiny towel held to her chest. Hinata dipped her big toe into the water and squealed softly. Naruto could feel his face get hot and it wasn't because of the hot spring.

She was beautiful. Her skin looked soft and it shone from the moisture in the area. Her hair flowed halfway done her back and it stuck to her skin. Her waist was sleek and had a very feminine curve to it. She also had a very slim stomach so it complimented her hourglass figure perfectly. However, Naruto found himself staring at her chest. They were even better than the ones he had while in Sexy Jutsu form! And he had worked for weeks on perfecting that Jutsu!

He couldn't stop himself from staring as Hinata slowly entered the water. Hinata sat down on a flat rock and sighed heavily as she sank down till the water reached her neck. Naruto gulped and wiped the blood from his nose.

"H-Hello!" Naruto said, his voice sounding exactly like a teenage girl.

Hinata gasped and let her towel slip a little. Naruto nearly passed out, but he pinched his thigh hard and managed to keep his gaze above the water.

Hinata blushed. "I'm sorry! I didn't think there was anyone else here…"

_Oh, thank God! She doesn't recognize me! I just need to excuse myself and get the hell out of here! _"Don't mind me. I was just about to get out!" Naruto said throwing on a fake smile.

Hinata frowned as familiarity rang though her head. "Have we met before?" Hinata stood up and began to walk closer to Naruto to inspect his face.

Naruto choked and spluttered as he tried to hide his face behind his long blonde hair. "N-No! I don't think we have…" Naruto trailed off as he was once again confronted with Hinata's naked body. Except this time, it was much closer. His heart raced as he tried to tear his gaze from her voluptuous body. He could feel his jutsu start to waver and he gulped. _She is going to kill me…_

"Hey there, Hinata!" Tsubame shouted out from the entrance of the bathing area.

Hinata turned to greet Tsubame and Naruto sighed with relief. He sank lower in the spring until the water was up to his nose.

"I saw your clothes in the changing room so I decided to come join you!" Tsubame said as she walked into the waters. She raised her arms up and tied her long hair into a pony tail. Naruto nearly drowned when he realized Tsubame was also naked except she wasn't covering her front with a towel! Naruto jumped up and coughed out the water he had just swallowed.

"Hm?" Tsubame turned her head towards Naruto. "Oh! I didn't see you there, miss. Sorry for interrupting!"

Naruto shook his head and tried to regain his composure. He didn't realize it then, but many men would have killed to be in his position. Hinata may have been well endowed, but Tsubame was very attractive with her small tight figure. And shewasa princess after all.

Naruto sat back down in an empty corner of the hot spring. He tried to ignore the two naked girls, but their words carried across the water.

"Hinata? Where is Naruto?" Tsubame asked as she looked around the hot spring. "Don't tell me you made him go to the Boys side all alone?"

"I-I didn't make him! He… sorta just went on his own." Hinata mumbled.

"Did you invite him?"

"No…" Hinata cast her eyes downwards. What would he have said if I had asked him?

Tsubame smirked. "Come on, Hinata! I thought you liked the guy!"

Naruto coughed and slowly twisted his head towards Hinata.

"I do!" Hinata replied fiercely. "It's just that…"

"You're never going to get anywhere with that attitude! I'm call him for you! NARUTO!" Tsubame shouted towards the other side of the hot spring.

Naruto cursed mentally. How was he supposed to reply if he was sitting a mere ten feet from them? This was not going to end well.

Thankfully, Hinata came to his rescue, clamping her hand over Tsubame's mouth before she could yell his name again.

"Don't! I'll tell him someday… but right now… just isn't the right time. I'm not sure if he likes me back…" Hinata said softly staring at the ring on her hand.

Tsubame smiled and shook her head. _This girl need a little more self-confidence. That brat is actually a perfect match for her…_ Tsubame playfully splashed some water at Hinata. "He would like you a lot more if you showed him that incredibly body of yours!"

Hinata blushed and opened her mouth to speak. However, before she could say anything, a terrible scream pierced the air followed by a loud explosion.

After the explosion there were several more screams, but they were all suddenly and violently cut short.

* * *

**And I'm back! What a cliffhanger! It was really nice to come back to this story, but now I don't know which story to post to next! Maybe a generous review or two would be enough to convince me! I hoped you all enjoyed the new chapter! The adult content will end here though. If you liked that scene you really need to check out my other story, Love Hinata. However, this story will be romantic and filled with fluff! I just wanted to demo a little more adult romance and maybe give Hinata a little push out of her shell. I'm sure you are all excited to see what happens next! I'm thinking another kiss scene shouldn't be too far away…. Please remember to review!**


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